MOH will be introducing the Flexi-Medisave scheme in April which will allow those 65 and above to tap their Medisave accounts.

 

Come April, the Ministry of Health (MOH) will be introducing the Flexi-Medisave scheme, which will allow the elderly to use their Medisave more flexibly and reduce their out-of-pocket costs for outpatient medical care. 

The Ministry said the elderly tend to have greater heathcare expenses and added that their concerns have mostly focused on the cost of outpatient care, especially over the long term, with many asking to tap on their Medisave more easily. Through Flexi-Medisave, Singaporeans aged 65 and above can use up to $200 of their Medisave a year for outpatient medical treatments at public sector specialist outpatient clinics (SOCs), polyclinics, and General Practitioner (GP) clinics under the Community Health Assist Scheme (CHAS). 

The amount can be drawn from the elderly’s own Medisave account, or his spouse’s, if she is also aged 65 or above. The total amount is capped at $200 a year for each elderly. The new scheme however does not cover vitamins and health supplements, traditional and complementary medicine, ambulance fees, dental treatments, and purchase of medical devices.

Flexi-Medisave can also be used for screening tests that are under the Integrated Screening Programme, which includes screening for selected chronic diseases and cancers.

It can also supplement other outpatient uses of Medisave. This includes a $300 limit for outpatient scans that was implemented on January 1 and a $400 limit for things like outpatient treatment of chronic diseases. If the elderly has used up his Medisave limit for outpatient scans, for example, he can use Flexi-Medisave to pay for the remaining amount. He can also use Flexi-Medisave to pay for the 15 percent co-payment when using Medisave for chronic disease treatment.

 

(* PHOTO CREDIT: Dollar sign, rigor789, freeimages)

 

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