Forum: Let healthcare insurance policyholders choose to keep older riders
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New Integrated Shield Plan riders sold from April 1, 2026, will no longer cover the minimum deductibles patients have to pay before insurance kicks in ( MOH moves to curb rising premiums; IP riders sold from April 2026 won’t cover minimum deductibles,
This means policyholders must pay $1,500 to beyond $3,500 out of pocket before insurance kicks in.
In addition, the co-payment cap after the deductible will double from $3,000 to $6,000.
As a result, premiums for these new riders are expected to drop by about 30 per cent. But isn’t that a rather modest drop?
The savings feel almost insignificant when policyholders still face higher deductibles and co-payments. Add these together and the bill can reach a hefty sum. We are not informed of the upper limits.
Can policyholders be offered a choice? Keep the older, more expensive riders for smaller deductibles and co-payments, and have the newer, cheaper ones too. This gives Singaporeans autonomy and self-determination over their own medical coverage.
Chua Jun Jin (Dr)
