We refer to the article “Medifund disbursements rise 27% to $130m last year” (Straits Times, Oct 30).
27% increase in Medifund payouts
It states that “About $130 million was handed out, a 27 per cent increase from $102 million the year before …
The ministry also approved 30 per cent more Medifund applications, from 587,000 the previous year to 766,000 last year.”
766,000 approved in a year?
- Don’t you find it rather alarming that for a first world country like Singapore – 766,000 were approved for Medifund, which comes in only after patients are unable to pay for Class C and B2 treatment in public hospitals – and after very stringent means testing under the criteria for Medifund?
Medifund criteria is secret?
Although the criteria for approving Medifund applications is secret – we understand that
- You get greater help if you contribute regularly to Medisave and are members of MediShield – “To encourage a greater sense of personal responsibility, Medifund will provide greater support to those who have contributed regularly to Medisave and who are covered by MediShield, but despite these have run into difficulties”
… You cannot be a Class A or B1 patient (which means that you cannot be referred for treatment by a private clinic as then you would not be eligible for Class C or B2 treatment). It does not matter that you may have ended up in B1 because there were no beds available or you couldn’t wait for months as a subsidised patient to get a diagnostic test, operation or treatment.
… You cannot be staying in a private property. It does not matter whether you are staying in a private property because the owner is kind enough to let you stay when you have no money and no assets yourself.
… All your immediate family members (for example if the patient is the father, this means the wife and all the children) must have exhausted all their Medisave account balances, subject to the Medisave eligibility and withdrawal limits
… You must not have more than a few thousand dollars in your bank accounts (the last we heard was around $4,000?)
… Certain medical treatments and drugs are not eligible for MediFund, or only 50% assistance
… B2 treatment may not be eligible for 100% assistance
“A flexible and compassionate approach towards applicants”?
Instead of saying “They (Medifund Committee Members) are familiar with the needs and problems faced by lower-income Singaporeans, and will adopt a flexible and compassionate approach towards applicants” – why can’t the basic criteria for Medifund be disclosed to the public?
We also understand that the Medifund quantum allocated to each Medifund-approved institution is different – which they may have to allocate accordingly to last the whole year?
Medifund success rate?
The Medifund applications success rate is not mentioned in the subject news report – 766,000 approved applications in a year may be quite meaningless, unless we know the patients (not applications) rejection rate, as well as those who may be told that they don’t even need to apply because they don’t meet one of the basic eligibility criteria.
S Y Lee and Leong Sze Hian
P.S. Come with your family and friends to the 5th Return Our CPF protest on 29 November 4 pm at Speakers’ Corner