MEDISAVE ACCOUNTS (Use for payment of outpatient charges)

Mrs Yu-Foo Yee Shoon asked the Acting Minister for Health whether his Ministry will allow Medisave accounts to be used for payment of outpatient charges.

The Acting Minister for Health (Mr Yeo Cheow Tong): Mr Speaker, Sir, the Medisave Scheme was originally intended only to meet the hospitalisation expenses of the average worker and his immediate family, and to ensure that they will have adequate savings to meet their medical needs in old age. Since the scheme was implemented in 1984, it has been extended to cover certain expensive outpatient services, such as day surgery, radiotherapy, Hepatitis B vaccination and renal dialysis.

Further liberalisation of Medisave for payment of other outpatient services will result in faster draw down of Medisave funds and greater risk of overuse or misuse. My Ministry, therefore, has no plans to extend the use of Medisave for payment of outpatient charges.