For many Singaporeans, our healthcare system is about going to the doctor only when we are sick or getting a referral via a polyclinic for cheaper public healthcare. Many of us doctor-hop: going to our company’s panel doctor to get our medical certificates and then to the polyclinic, when we are no longer covered by company insurance, for the cheaper consultations and medications for chronic illnesses. Yet, having a regular family doctor tends to lead to better health outcomes and fewer visits to the hospitals and emergency departments.
With Healthier SG, the Ministry of Health is transforming how Singapore’s healthcare work in a radical manner by getting Singaporeans to enrol with a family doctor and tying subsidies, grants and service fees to this doctor-patient relationship.
So, how can Singaporeans benefit by enrolling with a family doctor under Healthier SG?
Read Also: Complete Guide To Healthcare Financing In Singapore
Healthier SG Aims To Change Patient-Doctor Interactions To A Long-Term Relationship
Instead of seeing the doctor only when we need it or doctor-hopping, Singapore residents will enroll with a family doctor under Healthier SG. These family doctors will then guide and support us in our healthcare needs. This is a shift toward preventative care, instead of the current curative care.
Healthier SG will be rolled out in phases from 2H2023. Singapore residents aged 60 and above will be first invited to enroll with a family doctor in mid-2023, followed by those aged 40 to 59 in the following two years.
We will have a choice in which doctor we want to enroll with, and we can make changes if we change our minds in the future. We can make one supported change of enrolled clinic in a year. During the initial enrolment period, MOH will support up to four changes. We are also not restricted to only our enrolled clinic – we can still visit other clinics if our enrolled clinic is closed or if we want a second opinion.
First Onboarding Health Consultation Will Be Fully Paid For By The Government
Once we are successfully enrolled, we can schedule our first onboarding health consultation. This is fully paid for by the Government. However, if we choose to change our enrolled clinic, we will have to pay for the subsequent onboarding health consultations on our own.
During the onboarding health consultation, our family doctor will assess our medical history, health needs and concerns. If we have no chronic conditions, the doctor may advise us on preventive measures as part of our health plan. This may include health screenings and vaccinations. Our annual check-in with the family doctor will be subsidised.
If we have chronic conditions, our family doctor will manage our follow-up care. This may typically require 2 to 4 consultations annually. We can tap on the prevailing subsidies such as CHAS for these consultations. Additionally, by going to our enrolled family doctor for treatment of chronic conditions, we are also eligible for additional Healthier SG benefits.
Read Also: Complete Guide To The Community Health Assist Scheme (CHAS)
Nationally Recommended Vaccinations And Screenings For Enrolled Singapore Citizens Will Be Fully Subsided
Vaccinations and health screenings are an important part of preventive care.
Currently, under the National Child Immunisation Schedule, Singaporean children are fully subsidised for the nationally recommended vaccinations administered at CHAS GP clinics and polyclinics. Under Healthier SG, these fully subsidised vaccinations can be administered by our enrolled family doctor. For parents who dread the long queues at the polyclinics, this can be a huge relief.
For adults, there is also the National Adult Immunisation Schedule. Currently, these nationally recommended vaccinations are partially subsidised by the government, and we can use our MediSave to make the co-payments. These vaccinations will be fully subsidised when we go to our family doctor under Healthier SG.
For those of us who suffer from the annual cold, this would mean the end of our annual suffering as influenza is one of the nationally recommended vaccines.
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Additionally, the recommended health screenings will be also fully covered under Healthier SG: Type 2 diabetes, hypertension, and hyperlipidaemia as well as breast, cervical, and colorectal cancer.
Currently, Screen For Life provides subsidised screenings for 4 chronic illnesses and 3 cancers: diabetes, high blood pressure, high blood cholesterol, obesity, cervical cancer (for females), breast cancer (for females) and colon cancer. Under SFL, Singaporeans only have to pay up to $5 at approved CHAS clinics.
No Need To Co-Pay In Cash When Using MediSave For Chronic Conditions
For those of us with chronic conditions, we are able to use our MediSave under the Chronic Disease Management Programme (CDMP). Eligible chronic treatments are claimable with a 15% cash co-payment. For example, if treatment cost $100, the patient would have to fork out $15 in cash and the rest would be claimable from MediSave.
Under Healthier SG, we will have more flexibility in using our MediSave when we visit our enrolled family doctor. We will be able to use our MediSave fully without any cash outlay as the need to co-pay in cash will be removed when enrolled residents use their MediSave under the CDMP at their family doctor.
Read Also: 9 Ways You Can Use Your MediSave To Pay For Your Healthcare Expenses
Medication Prices For Chronic Drugs Will Be Comparable To Polyclinics
For those of us who are worried about medication prices when we enroll with a family doctor, MOH will be making drug prices at participating private family doctor clinics more comparable to those at polyclinics through a combination of enhanced drug subsidies and drug price limits.
MOH will introduce a new subsidy tier to CHAS for common chronic drugs. CHAS, Pioneer Generation or Merdeka Generation cardholders will be able to obtain these drugs at the private family doctor clinic which they have enrolled with.
More Health Points To Encourage Active Living
As part of one’s overall health plan, Healthier SG also includes active lifestyle changes. To help encourage people to live an active lifestyle, Healthier SG will leverage the existing Healthy365 (H365) app and health point system of the National Steps Challenge and Eat, Drink, Shop Healthy Challenge by the Health Promotion Board (HPB). Participating in healthy activities such as clocking 10,000 steps a day will earn health points which can be exchanged for vouchers.
Not only will more health points be awarded, but the H365 app will also be upgraded with more functions to support more healthy lifestyle goals, such as diet plans.
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