Deadline for MediShield Life subsidy checks is up

THERE will be no further extensions to the deadline for households to confirm and update their information for the calculation of MediShield Life subsidies, said Senior Minister of State for Health and Manpower Amy Khor.

This is because the Ministry of Health (MOH) has to start computing subsidies before the compulsory health insurance scheme is rolled out at the end of the year.

Dr Khor was speaking to reporters yesterday at a youth dialogue organised by MOH and the People's Association Youth Movement on MediShield Life.

MOH started the household check exercises last month to ensure the correct subsidies are computed for households facing higher premiums under MediShield Life.

The ministry had previously extended the deadline for households to update their information from June 19 to yesterday.

As of last night, 56 per cent of about 740,000 households asked to complete household checks for MediShield Life have responded, said Dr Khor.

"For those who missed the deadline, they need not worry," said Dr Khor. "They will still be able to receive the premium subsidies which will be computed based on existing records if they are eligible."

She said 85 per cent, or more than eight in 10, of those who responded had accurate information that did not have to be amended.

"We expect that most of the other 44 per cent of those who did not update their data would have accurate information as well," she said.

The dialogue, which was held at People's Association headquarters in King George's Avenue, drew about 150 youth who asked Dr Khor about MediShield Life-related issues such as the reasons for increased premiums.

LESTER HIO

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A version of this article appeared in the print edition of The Straits Times on June 24, 2015, with the headline Deadline for MediShield Life subsidy checks is up. Subscribe