Announcements on MediSave, preventive care at Budget debate re-examine assumptions: Ong Ye Kung

SINGAPORE – The announcements by the Health Ministry during the recent debate on its budget may not be “huge policy changes”, but they do represent important breakthroughs that mark a re-examination of several long-existing assumptions, Health Minister Ong Ye Kung said on March 8.

Speaking to the media on the sidelines of the Sembawang West Women’s Festival, Mr Ong highlighted that the focus on preventive medicine marked a departure from past healthcare policies.

“We are now prepared to extend MediShield Life to cover preventive surgery, something we have never done before,” he said, referring to the national health insurance scheme.

Besides reducing the need for painful treatment after a disease develops, he said, preventive care is also cost-effective and does not impose an additional financial burden on the healthcare system.

Mr Ong, who is also Coordinating Minister for Social Policies, added: “The best way to contain healthcare costs is to stay healthy… and that is a central thrust of our healthcare transformation: to ensure that we practise good preventive care.”

Given this, his ministry has also recognised the changing role of MediSave, the national medical savings scheme, he said.

MediSave no longer has only one objective, which was initially meant for Singaporeans to “save up for a rainy day”, such as emergency surgery or a long-term hospital stay, Mr Ong said.

“Today, with lifespans getting longer, we are also recognising that MediSave has dual objectives,” he noted. “The second objective is to be able to practise good preventive care and manage our chronic diseases effectively. So, we now need to juggle these two objectives within the MediSave system.”

Mr Ong added that technology could make preventive care both personalised and predictive.

Earlier on March 5, he highlighted three initiatives to support Singapore’s evolving healthcare needs in Parliament, namely: The use of artificial intelligence to strengthen healthcare delivery; genetic testing for preventive care; and making MediSave flexible to help patients better meet their chronic and preventive care needs.

On preventive medicine, Mr Ong had announced then that subsidies for genetic testing for hereditary breast and ovarian cancer will be extended from December. An estimated 2,000 people are expected to be eligible each year, and testing will also be offered to the immediate family members of those who test positive.

From Jan 1, 2027, the Government will also be raising the withdrawal limits under the MediSave 500/700 scheme.

This scheme currently allows Singaporeans to withdraw up to $500 a year from their MediSave accounts for outpatient treatment of chronic conditions under the Chronic Disease Management Programme (CDMP), as well as for selected vaccinations and preventive tests.

Those with complex chronic conditions requiring more intensive treatment can currently withdraw up to $700 a year.

The scheme will be renamed the MediSave Chronic and Preventive Care scheme, and the withdrawal limits will be raised to $700 and $1,000, respectively.

The CDMP, which covers 23 major chronic conditions, including diabetes, hypertension and stroke, will also be expanded to include thyroid disorders, with plans to add other conditions such as eczema in future.

Responding to a question on whether the new MediSave withdrawal threshold for outpatient treatment of chronic conditions is still too low, Mr Ong told the media on March 8 that managing MediSave funds is a “zero-sum game”.

Fundamentally, people would want to use MediSave funds for immediate medical problems, but spending more now means having less for the future – a tension that is inherently built into the system.

“When the tension gets too severe, we do have to seriously look at the need for increasing contributions,” said Mr Ong.

Another initiative Mr Ong brought up during the debate was using AI to enhance healthcare screenings.

The Assisted Chronic Disease Explanation using AI, or ACE-AI tool, will be rolled out to doctors for all Healthier SG participants from early 2027. Healthier SG is a national initiative that aims to help all Singaporeans take steps towards better health and quality of life.

The tool will enable primary care providers to standardise how they identify individuals at high risk of developing diabetes or high cholesterol over the next three years, Mr Ong told Parliament.

Those found to have more than a 75 per cent chance of being diagnosed with diabetes, high cholesterol or both during that period will have to undergo annual cardiovascular disease risk screenings.

On March 8, he reassured the public that the data would be kept confidential, adding: “It is for the doctor to convey to the patient. That data is not to be shared.”