RAISING OF HOSPITALS' WARD CHARGES

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RAISING OF HOSPITALS' WARD CHARGES: 15.

Mdm Halimah Yacob asked the Minister for Health (a) whether it is necessary for hospitals to raise ward charges during this period when people are worried over the high inflation rate; (b) whether there is an increase in the number of patients defaulting in payments of hospital bills compared to 2007; and

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(c) how will the Ministry assist these patients.

The Minister for Health (Mr Khaw Boon Wan): Sir, the recent high inflation has also impacted the operating cost of public hospitals. Tender prices of medicine and other medical supplies have significantly increased. In line with market movements in wage levels, public hospitals have adjusted the wages of their healthcare workers. In addition, we have made a conscious decision to significantly raise the staff-to-patient ratio, so as to meet rising patients’ expectation for longer consultations and shorter waiting times. All these factors have increased the hospitals’ running costs.

Public hospitals will continue to absorb the bulk of the increases in cost. Our subsidy policy remains unchanged. Some adjustments in patients’ co-payment quantum are therefore inevitable.

As compared to last year, there has so far been no increase in the number of arrears cases. Patient cases in arrears after two months from discharge remain below 4%. Our system of heavy Government subsidies, Medisave, MediShield and Medifund has ensured that basic healthcare services in public hospitals remain affordable to all Singaporeans.

But during this period of high inflation, we have reminded our hospitals to be on the lookout for needy patients who might have a problem paying their bills. Patients can continue to ask the hospitals for their medical bills to be paid through instalments. We have increased the allocation for Medifund reimbursements substantially so that needy patients can get appropriate financial assistance. Two years ago, the Medifund reimbursements amounted to about $40 million. I have raised it to $50 million last year and for this year, the budget set aside is $70 million, which is a very substantial increase from the previous years. We

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have also recommended that the Medifund Committees be especially flexible when evaluating the applications by elderly patients for assistance under Medifund-Silver.

Mdm Halimah Yacob (Jurong): Supplementary questions, Sir, for the Minister. Firstly, in view of the increased cost faced by hospitals and to ensure that hospitals can remain affordable, will the Government consider increasing the grants to hospitals? And, secondly, how many patients have asked for payment by instalments?

Mr Khaw Boon Wan: The answer to her first question is yes, although I could not quite recall the figures. As to the number of patients who applied for instalments, we have the data somewhere but I do not carry it at the top of my head.