MEDISHIELD SCHEME (Opting out)

Mr Yeo Guat Kwang asked the Minister for Manpower how many Singaporean workers have opted out of the MediShield scheme, and what steps his Ministry is taking to help workers understand the benefits of the scheme.

Dr Lee Boon Yang: Mr Speaker, Sir, as at 31st December 1999, the total MediShield membership was 2 million, of which 1.6 million CPF members and their dependants are insured under Basic MediShield Scheme, and 400,000 are insured under MediShield Plus. The total number of CPF members using Medisave to pay for coverage under the IncomeShield or Managed HealthCare System was 200,000.

Since the inception of the Basic MediShield Scheme in 1990, about 230,000 members had opted out and did not participate in any health insurance schemes using CPF savings. Such persons could have their own health insurance coverage or felt that they were adequately covered under their employers' healthcare benefits. Another 337,000 members had opted out of the Basic MediShield Scheme in order to join MediShield Plus, IncomeShield or Managed Healthcare System.

The CPF Board recognises that there could still be some members who may not have healthcare coverage. Therefore, the Board carries out regular programmes to promote MediShield cover. These include sending to all new CPF members an information package on MediShield, and providing information on MediShield in the CPF Newsline in all the four major language newspapers regularly. The CPF Board also jointly organised talks on MediShield with the trade unions, community clubs, public libraries and schools to help members of the public understand the benefits of the Scheme.

In addition, the CPF Board has been actively promoting the MediShield/MediShield Plus Schemes to households and to parents through schools. Since 1996 a total of about 420,000 direct mail packages have been sent out to households and through schools. We have received a good response of about 130,000 applications as at 31st December 1999. The Board will continue in its efforts to educate the public and its members on the MediShield/MediShield Plus schemes.

Mr Yeo Guat Kwang (Cheng San): Sir, would the Ministry allow for all those who have opted out of the scheme to opt in again? Would the Ministry also take action to help the public to understand the risk that they take by opting out from such a scheme?

Dr Lee Boon Yang: Sir, we will consider the request of members who had previously opted out and now want to opt in. Of course, you must understand that MediShield is an insurance scheme. Therefore, once you opt out, to rejoin, you will have to satisfy the conditions as a new applicant, which may well include medical examination and a ruling out of coverage for prevailing or pre-existing illnesses. That is why it is beneficial for CPF members to remain a member of MediShield or some other insurance, such as Managed Healthcare System or IncomeShield or MediShield Plus right from day one. In which case, as a young and healthy worker, he would be fully covered. In most cases, there will be no pre-existing ailments to be excluded. So they could remain covered for the rest of their lives. We are continuing to explain this to all CPF members and MediShield members to ensure that they stay insured throughout their working life time.