Ever since Community Health Assist Scheme (CHAS) was introduced in 2012, the scheme has been expanded to include more Singaporeans, including members of the Pioneer Generation and the Merdeka Generation (from 1 November 2019 onwards).
Holders of CHAS cards get subsidised rates for treatment at selected medical and dental clinics.
In Budget 2019, Finance Minister Heng Swee Keat announced that CHAS benefits will be expanded to include all Singaporeans with chronic conditions, regardless of income.
Additionally, three new conditions will be added to the Chronic Disease Management Programme (CDMP) from 1 July 2022: gout, allergic rhinitis, and chronic hepatitis B. This brings the total number of approved chronic conditions under CDMP to 23.
Here is your guide to what is CHAS, who’s eligible, and what benefits that Singaporeans can look forward to receiving.
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What Is The Community Health Assist Scheme (CHAS)?
CHAS subsidises lower and middle income Singaporeans’ when they visit participating general practitioners (GPs), private dentists and Specialist Outpatient Clinics (SOCs) at public hospitals. CHAS is meant to help Singaporeans manage the cost of outpatient medical expenses and reduce the load on public hospitals and polyclinics.
In 2014, enhanced benefits were provided to all members of the Pioneer Generation using the CHAS framework.
Today, CHAS benefits are enjoyed by about 1.2 million Singaporeans at 1,000 private GP clinics and 700 dental clinics islandwide.
During his Budget Statement 2019, Finance Minister Heng Swee Keat announced the expansion of CHAS to cover all Singaporeans with chronic conditions, regardless of income. Known as CHAS Green, this will allow more Singaporeans to benefit from more affordable chronic care at participating CHAS GP clinics, and enable greater anchoring of chronic care in the community. These new changes took effect on 1 November 2019,
On 1 November 2019, Merdeka Generation seniors will also receive special subsidies for medical and dental care at CHAS GP and dental clinics as well as enjoy subsidised referrals to Specialist Outpatient Clinics (SOCs) located at Public Hospitals.
In April 2023, Singaporeans aged 15 and above holding CHAS cards will be able to access them through the Singpass app. This does not mean that the physical cards will be obsolete. Those who renew their CHAS cards will also receive a physical copy, in addition to having access to the digital version.
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Eligibility Conditions For CHAS
For the majority of Singaporeans, the amount of CHAS benefits received depends on the colour of the CHAS card they are holding, which is based on either their monthly household income (for households with income) or the Annual Value (AV) of their home (for households with no income).
Members of the Pioneer Generation and Merdeka Generation will enjoy enhanced CHAS benefits, regardless of their income or their home’s Annual Value. Singapore Citizens who have a Public Assistance (PA) card do not need to apply for CHAS, as they can already receive full CHAS subsidies by showing their PA card.
The monthly household income per person is the total gross household monthly income divided by total number of family members living together. Gross monthly income refers to your basic income, overtime pay, allowances, cash awards, commissions and bonuses. You can calculate your household monthly income per person here.
The Annual Value of your home is the estimated annual rent if it is rented out. This value is assessed by IRAS. For reference, an AV of $21,000 covers all HDB flats and some lower-value private properties.
Which CHAS Card Do You Qualify For?
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Benefits For CHAS Cardholders
Those who are eligible for CHAS will hold either a Blue or Orange card, depending on household income or Annual Value of their property. Singapore Citizens who are on Public Assistance (PA) will also receive full subsidies for treatment of conditions covered under the Blue CHAS tier.
CHAS cards are typically valid for two years, after which they need to be renewed. Pioneers holding a Pioneer Generation card receive the greatest subsidies regardless of income or property value, and their card is valid for life.
And here are the subsidies CHAS cardholders and Pioneer Generation members are enjoying today:
You can login to the CHAS website to check the amount of subsidies you have left for the year or enquire at participating CHAS clinics.
For reference, here is the list of conditions and procedures that you’ll enjoy CHAS subsidies for:
| Common Illnesses* | Chronic Conditions | Dental Services* |
| Abdominal pain Cough, cold, flu Diarrhoea Fever Headache Skin infection and rashes Sore eyes Urinary tract infection (List is not exhaustive) |
Anxiety+ Asthma Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia Bipolar Disorder+ Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease Dementia Diabetes Mellitus (DM) (including Pre-Diabetes) Epilepsy Hypertension (High blood pressure) Ischaemic Heart Disease Lipid Disorders (e.g. High cholesterol) Major Depression+ Chronic Kidney Disease (Nephritis/Nephrosis) Osteoarthritis Osteoporosis Parkinson’s Disease Psoriasis Rheumatoid Arthritis Schizophrenia+ Stroke Gout (from 1 July 2022) Allergic Rhinitis (from 1 July 2022) Chronic hepatitis B (from 1 July 2022) |
Extractions Filling Removable Denture Denture Reline/ Repair Permanent Crown Re-cementation Root Canal Treatment Polishing Scaling Topical Fluoride X-Ray |
+ Only claimable at selected clinics. Please call the CHAS hotline 1800-275-2427 (1800-ASK-CHAS) for more information.
*Only for CHAS Blue/Orange, MG and PG cardholders
Source: CHAS
Where Can CHAS Cards Be Used?
All participating CHAS GPs and dental clinics will display the CHAS stickers. These clinics are made up of:
CHAS GP and Dental clinics: The cards can be used at 1,600 participating CHAS GP and dental clinics. You can use this clinic locator to locate the nearest clinic around your vicinity.
Community Health Centres (CHCs): CHAS cards can also be used at CHCs to receive subsidised rates for healthcare services which complement the clinical care offered by CHAS GPs for chronic conditions. Services at CHCs include Diabetic Retinal Photography (DRP), Diabetic Foot Screening (DFS), nurse counselling, dietetics and physiotherapy.
Primary Care Network (PCN) / Specialist Outpatient Clinics: PCN refers to a network of General Practitioners (GPs) supported by nurses and care coordinators who provide holistic, coordinated care for patients with chronic conditions like diabetes, hypertension and hyperlipidaemia. You can also enjoy CHAS subsidies at Specialist Outpatient Clinics when referred by your GP.
To enjoy subsidies for your treatment at the CHAS clinic, you will need to produce your CHAS card, Pioneer Generation card, Public Assistance card and NRIC during your visit, preferably at the point of registration. CHAS cardholders below 15 years old will need to present their CHAS card with a student ID or birth certificate.
How Do I Apply To Receive My CHAS Card?
Even though the introduction of CHAS Green means that every Singapore Citizen is eligible for CHAS, enrolment into CHAS is still on an application basis. To enjoy CHAS subsidies, Singaporean households are required to submit an application.
You can apply for CHAS via the online application. Singapore Citizens aged 21 and above can apply for CHAS online on behalf of their household members. Alternatively, you can download the CHAS application form or get it at any community centre, Community Development Council, public hospital or polyclinic. Applications will take around 15 working days to process.
Once successful, all eligible family members will receive their own CHAS Blue, Orange or Green card (depending on the tier that your household qualifies for) and a welcome pack with information on how to use the card and a list of participating CHAS clinics. CHAS cards typically have a validity period of 2 years.
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This article was originally published on 28 August 2018 and updated with new information.
The post Complete Guide To The Community Health Assist Scheme (CHAS) appeared first on DollarsAndSense.sg.
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