PORTABLE MEDICAL BENEFITS FOR THE UNEMPLOYED

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PORTABLE MEDICAL BENEFITS FOR THE UNEMPLOYED: The following Question stood in the name of Mdm Ho Geok Choo -

2. To ask the Minister for Health (a) how will portable medical benefits be made eligible to the unemployed; and (b) what measures are available for the unemployed to participate in the MediShield programme.

Mr Charles Chong (Pasir Ris-Punggol): Question No. 2, Sir.

The Minister for Health (Mr Khaw Boon Wan): Sir, MediShield and all the Medisave-approved private medical insurance schemes are individual insurance plans, with the insurance benefits tied to the individuals. For as long as premiums are paid, the policyholders will remain covered by the insurance.

But I suppose Mdm Ho Geok Choo is probably referring to employees on corporate group medical insurance plans. Such plans are linked to the employer and not to the individual workers. Their medical insurance benefits will cease upon termination of employment, either through resignation, retirement or retrenchment.

This is a real problem and for years, NTUC has been advocating a solution with the aim to ensure the portability of medical insurance.

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Sir, with the reform of MediShield, there is scope for unions, employers and insurers to build upon the MediShield to achieve the portability objective.

For example, some employers may decide to help their employees subscribe to MediShield for the basic medical benefits, and top up any enhanced medical benefits with their corporate insurance plans. In this way, the employees will have their individual medical insurance plans, at least at the basic MediShield level, which can survive any sudden change in their employment status, for as long as premiums are paid.

As MediShield premiums can be paid from Medisave, most Singaporeans should find continuing insurance coverage affordable, even if they should be temporarily out of work. That is why it is so important for all Singaporeans, including the self-employed, to contribute regularly to Medisave while they are young, healthy and economically active. It is really saving for a rainy day.

As for non-working Singaporeans, like spouses, parents and children, we hope their working family members will insure for them, using their Medisave to pay for the premiums. We will use all opportunities to remind them to do so, for example, when couples register for marriage, or when parents register the birth of their babies.