I applaud the Ministry of Health’s (MOH) move to allow the use of MediSave and subsidies for palliative care and home care (MediSave, subsidies can be used for palliative care from July, home care from Oct: Ong Ye Kung, June 5)

Many of my patients, who have terminal digestive and liver diseases, actually wish to spend the rest of their lives at home rather than in hospital.

But cost is often an issue. Allowing terminally ill patients to utilise subsidies and their MediSave will help ease the financial burden on many of them.

I hope MOH will go further. Currently, not all Integrated Shield Plans (IPs) and insurers reimburse the cost of home care and home palliative care.

Some of my terminally ill patients may opt for hospital stay, as their medical bill would be paid for by their IP insurers. Once they go home, they might have to pay for their own home care without insurance coverage.

This not only worsens patients’ quality of life, but also increases healthcare spending unnecessarily. It is much cheaper to take care of patients at home.

If home care, especially home palliative care, is considered a standard of care, it is only logical that IP insurers reimburse their clients for that.

Desmond Wai (Dr)