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22-02-2014, 11:32 PM
so nice to be a pioneer gen in sg ah must be born in 1948 & earlier..too bad i'm not one of them..
can anyone enlighten - in view of the chas, subsidy, annual top up available with the medisave and medishield, does it still make sense to opt for private scheme?
Friday, Feb 21, 2014
Jamie Lee
The Business Times
SINGAPORE plans to give the pioneer generation of Singapore a further 50 per cent off their subsidised bills at specialist outpatient clinics (SOCs), said Tharman Shanmugaratnam, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Finance on Friday.
Details from the Ministry of Finance, as posted on their Twitter feed:
The Pioneer Generation Package provides special support for elderly Singaporeans.
The Pioneer Generation (PG), about 450,000 Singaporeans, are those who were at least 16 years old in 1965 and citizens by 1987.
The Pioneer Generation is not differentiated by income as the objective is to honour the contributions of this whole generation. They are to get extra outpatient subsidies in three areas.
First, the Pioneer Gen will get an additional 50 per cent off their net subsidised bills at SOC and polyclinics.
Second, all Pioneer Gen will be on CHAS; existing members enjoy additional subsidies.
Third, Pioneer Gen with moderate to severe disabilities will receive $1,200 a year.
Pioneer Gen will receive Medisave top-ups of $200 - $800 a year.
Pioneer Gen will also be covered and receive enhanced coverage under Medishield Life.
The Pioneer Gen will get 40-60 per cent subsidy for Medishield Life premiums.
In summary, all Pioneer Gen will receive special benefits regardless of income, for the rest of their lives.
Here is a statement posted on Ministry of Finance's Facebook page:
There will be three key components to the Pioneer Generation Package - Outpatient care, Medisave Top-ups and MediShield Life subsidies.
These special benefits that we are providing the Pioneer Generation will not be differentiated by income because our objective is to honour the contributions of this whole generation. However, members of the Pioneer Generation who are less well-off will benefit more where there are higher underlying subsidies for all lower-income Singaporeans - such as at the SOCs.
First, we are increasing SOC subsidies for the lower- and middle-income. We will give the Pioneer Generation a further 50 per cent off their subsidised bills at SOCs. What this amounts to is that all Pioneer Generation members will get a 75 per cent to 85 per cent subsidy for treatment at SOCs. Similarly, the Pioneer Generation will receive an additional 50 per cent off their subsidised bills at polyclinics.
Second, Community Health Assist Scheme (CHAS) benefits, which are important because private GPs play an integral role in our primary care system. CHAS is currently targeted at lower- and middle-income Singaporeans. Under this package, all Pioneer Generation members will get more: a. Those who are not on CHAS will now qualify; b. Those already on CHAS will enjoy additional subsidies, which will be similar to our enhancements for the Pioneer Generation at SOCs and polyclinics.
Third, Pioneer Generation Disability Assistance. Those who have moderate to severe functional disabilities often face much higher long-term care expenses because they require assistance to feed themselves, bathe or move around. Under the Pioneer Generation Package, they or their nominated caregivers will receive cash assistance of $1,200 a year.
Under MediShield Life, all Pioneer Generation, including those with pre-existing conditions, will be covered and receive enhanced coverage for expensive large hospital bills. We will also provide the Pioneer Generation a special subsidy to ensure that MediShield Life premiums are highly affordable for them.
The Package also comprises annual Medisave top-ups of $200 to $800 for the Pioneer Generation. These are on top of the regular GST Voucher - Medisave payouts for older Singaporeans. Older Pioneer Generation cohorts will enjoy larger top-ups. The Medisave top-ups will be paid out from August this year. The Pioneer Generation can also look forward to the more flexible Medisave for all older Singaporeans.
Here are the excerpts from the Budget Speech by Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Finance Tharman Shanmugaratnam in Parliament today.
Honouring our Pioneer Generation
Taken together, the review of MediShield Life - including the subsidies we will provide for Singaporeans - as well as our enhanced SOC subsidies, are significant improvements in healthcare accessibility and affordability. These are changes that we will sustain for the long term for all Singaporeans.
Let me move on now to the Pioneer Generation Package which provides a special package of support on top of these enhancements.
Criteria for the Pioneer Generation
As the Prime Minister has announced, the Pioneer Generation Package will be for the first generation of Singaporeans who were living and working in Singapore after we became independent.
The Pioneer Generation Package will thus be for those who were at least 16 years old in 1965. Within these age cohorts, we have - for practical reasons - included those who became citizens before 1987.
This is because our manual records before that are incomplete with regard to the dates they became citizens. However, we know that more than 90 per cent of those who became citizens by 1987 were already living in Singapore before 1970.
In total, about 450,000 Singaporeans fulfil the criteria. There may be people who marginally miss out on the precise criteria, but have good claims to be counted among the Pioneer Generation. We will hence establish a panel to assess appeals on a case-by-case basis.
Pioneer Generation Package Benefits
There will be three key components to the Pioneer Generation Package - Outpatient care, Medisave Top-ups and MediShield Life subsidies.
These special benefits that we are providing the Pioneer Generation will not be differentiated by income because our objective is to honour the contributions of this whole generation. However, members of the Pioneer Generation who are less well-off will benefit more where there are higher underlying subsidies for all lower-income Singaporeans such as at the SOCs, as I have just announced.
(I) Outpatient Care
Many of the Pioneer Generation require outpatient treatment, either for common illnesses or for chronic conditions, such as diabetes and high blood pressure. We will pr ovide them with additional subsidies in three areas:
First, SOCs and polyclinics. As I have just explained, we are increasing SOC subsidies for the lower and middle-income. We will give the Pioneer Generation a further 50 per cent off their subsidised bills at SOCs. What this amounts to is that all Pioneer Generation members will get a 75 per cent to 85 per cent subsidy for treatment at SOCs.
Similarly, the Pioneer Generation will receive an additional 50 per cent off their subsidised bills at polyclinics.
Second, Community Health Assist Scheme (CHAS) benefits, which are important because private GPs play an integral role in our primary care system. CHAS is currently targeted at lower and middle-income Singaporeans. Under this package, all Pioneer Generation members will get more:
a. Those who are not on CHAS will now qualify;
b. Those already on CHAS will enjoy additional subsidies, which will be similar to our enhancements for the Pioneer Generation at SOCs and polyclinics.
Third, Pioneer Generation Disability Assistance. Those who have moderate to severe functional disabilities often face much higher long-term care expenses because they require assistance to feed themselves, bathe or move around. Under the Pioneer Generation Package, they or their nominated caregivers will receive cash assistance of $1,200 a year.
The subsidies for SOC and polyclinic services, as well as disability assistance, will be implemented in September 2014. The additional CHAS benefits will be implemented in January 2015. The Minister for Health will provide m ore details at the COS.
(II) Medisave Top-ups
The second component of the Pioneer Generation Package comprises annual Medisave top-ups of $200 to $800 for the Pioneer Generation. These are on top of the regular GST Voucher-Medisave payouts for older Singaporeans. Older Pioneer Generation cohorts will enjoy larger top-ups. The Medisave top-ups will be paid out from August this year. The Pioneer Generation can also look forward to the more flexible Medisave for all older Singaporeans, that I spoke about earlier.
(III) MediShield Life Subsidy
Many of the Pioneer Generation, especially the older ones, are currently not covered by MediShield.
MediShield Life will cover all Pioneer Generation members, including those with pre-existing conditions. They will receive enhanced coverage for large hospital bills. We will also provide the Pioneer Generation a special subsidy to ensure that MediShield Life premiums are highly affordable for them.
The special subsidy will increase with age. All Pioneer Generation members will enjoy subsidies starting from 40 per cent of the MediShield Life premium at age 65, rising to 60 per cent of the premium at age 90. This means that a 65-year-old today, who is expected to live to 85, will get a 50 per cent average subsidy over his lifetime.
The MediShield Life Review Committee is currently reviewing the benefits and premiums, which will be ready later this year. However, the Government‟s intent is clear:
a. For Pioneer Generation members aged 80 and above in 2014, we intend to fully cover their premiums through a combination of premium subsidies and Medisave top-ups
i. This will be the case even for those who are currently not covered under MediShield, and who will now enjoy the benefits of MediShield Life.
b. For those who are younger, for example,aged 70 in 2014,
i. If they are on MediShield today, with the new premium subsidies and Medisave top-ups, we aim for them to pay only about half of their current premiums.
ii. If they are not on MediShield today, they will be brought onto MediShield Life. They should still pay less than current premiums.
The MediShield Life subsidies will be implemented in end-2015, when MediShield Life is rolled out.
Summary of Pioneer Generation Benefits
Let me summarise. All members of the Pioneer Generation will receive the special benefits of the Package regardless of income. They will also get it for the rest of their lives.
First, for outpatient treatment. They will get a further 50 per cent discount on their subsidised bills in SOCs and Polyclinics.
They will also receive CHAS benefits. These will be on top of the underlying subsidies. And for those with moderate to severe disabilities, they will get cash assistance of $1,200 per year under the Pioneer Generation Disability Assistance Scheme.
Second, Medisave top -ups. The Pioneer Generation will receive $200 to $800 every year, with the older cohorts receiving more. This is on top of the annual Medisave top-ups ain the GST Voucher. They will also be a ble to use their Medisave more flexibly for a range of outpatient treatments.
Third, MediShield Life will be affordable For those 80 and above in 2014, we intend to fully cover their MediShield Life premiums through a combination of MediS hield Life subsidies and Medisave top-ups. For those who are younger, around 70 in 2014, we aim for them to pay only about half of their current premiums, with the rest covered through premium subsidies and Medisave top-ups, if they are on MediShield today.
FY2014 Budget Position
Madam Speaker, before I go on to summarise the FY2014 budget position, let me set out how we will fund the Pioneer Generation package.
We estimate that the cost of providing the extra benefits to the Pioneer Generation over their lifetimes will be slightly over $9 billion in nominal terms.
It is right and prudent to set aside monies today to pay for the Pioneer Generation Package, while we have sufficient resources to do so.
We will therefore set aside monies in Budget 2014 that will enable us to meet th e full projected cost of the package. We will create a Pioneer Generation Fund for the purpose and set aside $8 billion into the Fund. The $8 billion, with accumulated interest over time, will be enough to pay for the full projected cost of the package, in cluding a buffer for inflation.
Of the $8 billion in the Fund, we expect that about half will be drawn down in the first ten years, due to the age profile of the Pioneer Generation and the higher benefits for older members.
With this Fund, we assure the Pioneer Generation that Singapore will honour our commitment to them, regardless of future economic circumstances.
The Fund also ensures that Budgets in subsequent years can focus on the needs and challenges of the future, for all Singaporeans. Our spending needs will grow significantly in the next 10 to 15 years. Investments in infrastructure, such as HDB estate renewal, MRT expansion, and Changi Airport Terminal 5 will accelerate . Government h ealthcare spending for the population as a whole will grow, quite apart from the extra benefits we are providing the Pioneer Generation. We are also spend ing more on education. On pre-schools, in the next 5 years, we are spending an additional $1.5 billion. We are expanding university education and enhancing the p olytechnic and ITE pathways. We will also do much more in continuing education for workers.
The $8 billion Pioneer Generation Fund is not intended to cover the underlying healthcare subsidies that the Pioneer Generation receives together with all Singapor eans. These will continue to be funded from future annual budgets. For example, the enhanced SOC subsidies in this year‟s Budget are part of our future budgetary spending and we have planned for them on that basis.
After including the Pioneer Generation F und and various measures in this year‟s Budget, and factoring in the Net Investment Returns Contribution, the Overall Budget Balance is a deficit of $1.2 billion, or about 0.3 per cent of GDP. This is close to a balanced budget, and will not result in a draw on pa st reserves as we have sufficient surpluses from the last few years.
can anyone enlighten - in view of the chas, subsidy, annual top up available with the medisave and medishield, does it still make sense to opt for private scheme?
Friday, Feb 21, 2014
Jamie Lee
The Business Times
SINGAPORE plans to give the pioneer generation of Singapore a further 50 per cent off their subsidised bills at specialist outpatient clinics (SOCs), said Tharman Shanmugaratnam, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Finance on Friday.
Details from the Ministry of Finance, as posted on their Twitter feed:
The Pioneer Generation Package provides special support for elderly Singaporeans.
The Pioneer Generation (PG), about 450,000 Singaporeans, are those who were at least 16 years old in 1965 and citizens by 1987.
The Pioneer Generation is not differentiated by income as the objective is to honour the contributions of this whole generation. They are to get extra outpatient subsidies in three areas.
First, the Pioneer Gen will get an additional 50 per cent off their net subsidised bills at SOC and polyclinics.
Second, all Pioneer Gen will be on CHAS; existing members enjoy additional subsidies.
Third, Pioneer Gen with moderate to severe disabilities will receive $1,200 a year.
Pioneer Gen will receive Medisave top-ups of $200 - $800 a year.
Pioneer Gen will also be covered and receive enhanced coverage under Medishield Life.
The Pioneer Gen will get 40-60 per cent subsidy for Medishield Life premiums.
In summary, all Pioneer Gen will receive special benefits regardless of income, for the rest of their lives.
Here is a statement posted on Ministry of Finance's Facebook page:
There will be three key components to the Pioneer Generation Package - Outpatient care, Medisave Top-ups and MediShield Life subsidies.
These special benefits that we are providing the Pioneer Generation will not be differentiated by income because our objective is to honour the contributions of this whole generation. However, members of the Pioneer Generation who are less well-off will benefit more where there are higher underlying subsidies for all lower-income Singaporeans - such as at the SOCs.
First, we are increasing SOC subsidies for the lower- and middle-income. We will give the Pioneer Generation a further 50 per cent off their subsidised bills at SOCs. What this amounts to is that all Pioneer Generation members will get a 75 per cent to 85 per cent subsidy for treatment at SOCs. Similarly, the Pioneer Generation will receive an additional 50 per cent off their subsidised bills at polyclinics.
Second, Community Health Assist Scheme (CHAS) benefits, which are important because private GPs play an integral role in our primary care system. CHAS is currently targeted at lower- and middle-income Singaporeans. Under this package, all Pioneer Generation members will get more: a. Those who are not on CHAS will now qualify; b. Those already on CHAS will enjoy additional subsidies, which will be similar to our enhancements for the Pioneer Generation at SOCs and polyclinics.
Third, Pioneer Generation Disability Assistance. Those who have moderate to severe functional disabilities often face much higher long-term care expenses because they require assistance to feed themselves, bathe or move around. Under the Pioneer Generation Package, they or their nominated caregivers will receive cash assistance of $1,200 a year.
Under MediShield Life, all Pioneer Generation, including those with pre-existing conditions, will be covered and receive enhanced coverage for expensive large hospital bills. We will also provide the Pioneer Generation a special subsidy to ensure that MediShield Life premiums are highly affordable for them.
The Package also comprises annual Medisave top-ups of $200 to $800 for the Pioneer Generation. These are on top of the regular GST Voucher - Medisave payouts for older Singaporeans. Older Pioneer Generation cohorts will enjoy larger top-ups. The Medisave top-ups will be paid out from August this year. The Pioneer Generation can also look forward to the more flexible Medisave for all older Singaporeans.
Here are the excerpts from the Budget Speech by Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Finance Tharman Shanmugaratnam in Parliament today.
Honouring our Pioneer Generation
Taken together, the review of MediShield Life - including the subsidies we will provide for Singaporeans - as well as our enhanced SOC subsidies, are significant improvements in healthcare accessibility and affordability. These are changes that we will sustain for the long term for all Singaporeans.
Let me move on now to the Pioneer Generation Package which provides a special package of support on top of these enhancements.
Criteria for the Pioneer Generation
As the Prime Minister has announced, the Pioneer Generation Package will be for the first generation of Singaporeans who were living and working in Singapore after we became independent.
The Pioneer Generation Package will thus be for those who were at least 16 years old in 1965. Within these age cohorts, we have - for practical reasons - included those who became citizens before 1987.
This is because our manual records before that are incomplete with regard to the dates they became citizens. However, we know that more than 90 per cent of those who became citizens by 1987 were already living in Singapore before 1970.
In total, about 450,000 Singaporeans fulfil the criteria. There may be people who marginally miss out on the precise criteria, but have good claims to be counted among the Pioneer Generation. We will hence establish a panel to assess appeals on a case-by-case basis.
Pioneer Generation Package Benefits
There will be three key components to the Pioneer Generation Package - Outpatient care, Medisave Top-ups and MediShield Life subsidies.
These special benefits that we are providing the Pioneer Generation will not be differentiated by income because our objective is to honour the contributions of this whole generation. However, members of the Pioneer Generation who are less well-off will benefit more where there are higher underlying subsidies for all lower-income Singaporeans such as at the SOCs, as I have just announced.
(I) Outpatient Care
Many of the Pioneer Generation require outpatient treatment, either for common illnesses or for chronic conditions, such as diabetes and high blood pressure. We will pr ovide them with additional subsidies in three areas:
First, SOCs and polyclinics. As I have just explained, we are increasing SOC subsidies for the lower and middle-income. We will give the Pioneer Generation a further 50 per cent off their subsidised bills at SOCs. What this amounts to is that all Pioneer Generation members will get a 75 per cent to 85 per cent subsidy for treatment at SOCs.
Similarly, the Pioneer Generation will receive an additional 50 per cent off their subsidised bills at polyclinics.
Second, Community Health Assist Scheme (CHAS) benefits, which are important because private GPs play an integral role in our primary care system. CHAS is currently targeted at lower and middle-income Singaporeans. Under this package, all Pioneer Generation members will get more:
a. Those who are not on CHAS will now qualify;
b. Those already on CHAS will enjoy additional subsidies, which will be similar to our enhancements for the Pioneer Generation at SOCs and polyclinics.
Third, Pioneer Generation Disability Assistance. Those who have moderate to severe functional disabilities often face much higher long-term care expenses because they require assistance to feed themselves, bathe or move around. Under the Pioneer Generation Package, they or their nominated caregivers will receive cash assistance of $1,200 a year.
The subsidies for SOC and polyclinic services, as well as disability assistance, will be implemented in September 2014. The additional CHAS benefits will be implemented in January 2015. The Minister for Health will provide m ore details at the COS.
(II) Medisave Top-ups
The second component of the Pioneer Generation Package comprises annual Medisave top-ups of $200 to $800 for the Pioneer Generation. These are on top of the regular GST Voucher-Medisave payouts for older Singaporeans. Older Pioneer Generation cohorts will enjoy larger top-ups. The Medisave top-ups will be paid out from August this year. The Pioneer Generation can also look forward to the more flexible Medisave for all older Singaporeans, that I spoke about earlier.
(III) MediShield Life Subsidy
Many of the Pioneer Generation, especially the older ones, are currently not covered by MediShield.
MediShield Life will cover all Pioneer Generation members, including those with pre-existing conditions. They will receive enhanced coverage for large hospital bills. We will also provide the Pioneer Generation a special subsidy to ensure that MediShield Life premiums are highly affordable for them.
The special subsidy will increase with age. All Pioneer Generation members will enjoy subsidies starting from 40 per cent of the MediShield Life premium at age 65, rising to 60 per cent of the premium at age 90. This means that a 65-year-old today, who is expected to live to 85, will get a 50 per cent average subsidy over his lifetime.
The MediShield Life Review Committee is currently reviewing the benefits and premiums, which will be ready later this year. However, the Government‟s intent is clear:
a. For Pioneer Generation members aged 80 and above in 2014, we intend to fully cover their premiums through a combination of premium subsidies and Medisave top-ups
i. This will be the case even for those who are currently not covered under MediShield, and who will now enjoy the benefits of MediShield Life.
b. For those who are younger, for example,aged 70 in 2014,
i. If they are on MediShield today, with the new premium subsidies and Medisave top-ups, we aim for them to pay only about half of their current premiums.
ii. If they are not on MediShield today, they will be brought onto MediShield Life. They should still pay less than current premiums.
The MediShield Life subsidies will be implemented in end-2015, when MediShield Life is rolled out.
Summary of Pioneer Generation Benefits
Let me summarise. All members of the Pioneer Generation will receive the special benefits of the Package regardless of income. They will also get it for the rest of their lives.
First, for outpatient treatment. They will get a further 50 per cent discount on their subsidised bills in SOCs and Polyclinics.
They will also receive CHAS benefits. These will be on top of the underlying subsidies. And for those with moderate to severe disabilities, they will get cash assistance of $1,200 per year under the Pioneer Generation Disability Assistance Scheme.
Second, Medisave top -ups. The Pioneer Generation will receive $200 to $800 every year, with the older cohorts receiving more. This is on top of the annual Medisave top-ups ain the GST Voucher. They will also be a ble to use their Medisave more flexibly for a range of outpatient treatments.
Third, MediShield Life will be affordable For those 80 and above in 2014, we intend to fully cover their MediShield Life premiums through a combination of MediS hield Life subsidies and Medisave top-ups. For those who are younger, around 70 in 2014, we aim for them to pay only about half of their current premiums, with the rest covered through premium subsidies and Medisave top-ups, if they are on MediShield today.
FY2014 Budget Position
Madam Speaker, before I go on to summarise the FY2014 budget position, let me set out how we will fund the Pioneer Generation package.
We estimate that the cost of providing the extra benefits to the Pioneer Generation over their lifetimes will be slightly over $9 billion in nominal terms.
It is right and prudent to set aside monies today to pay for the Pioneer Generation Package, while we have sufficient resources to do so.
We will therefore set aside monies in Budget 2014 that will enable us to meet th e full projected cost of the package. We will create a Pioneer Generation Fund for the purpose and set aside $8 billion into the Fund. The $8 billion, with accumulated interest over time, will be enough to pay for the full projected cost of the package, in cluding a buffer for inflation.
Of the $8 billion in the Fund, we expect that about half will be drawn down in the first ten years, due to the age profile of the Pioneer Generation and the higher benefits for older members.
With this Fund, we assure the Pioneer Generation that Singapore will honour our commitment to them, regardless of future economic circumstances.
The Fund also ensures that Budgets in subsequent years can focus on the needs and challenges of the future, for all Singaporeans. Our spending needs will grow significantly in the next 10 to 15 years. Investments in infrastructure, such as HDB estate renewal, MRT expansion, and Changi Airport Terminal 5 will accelerate . Government h ealthcare spending for the population as a whole will grow, quite apart from the extra benefits we are providing the Pioneer Generation. We are also spend ing more on education. On pre-schools, in the next 5 years, we are spending an additional $1.5 billion. We are expanding university education and enhancing the p olytechnic and ITE pathways. We will also do much more in continuing education for workers.
The $8 billion Pioneer Generation Fund is not intended to cover the underlying healthcare subsidies that the Pioneer Generation receives together with all Singapor eans. These will continue to be funded from future annual budgets. For example, the enhanced SOC subsidies in this year‟s Budget are part of our future budgetary spending and we have planned for them on that basis.
After including the Pioneer Generation F und and various measures in this year‟s Budget, and factoring in the Net Investment Returns Contribution, the Overall Budget Balance is a deficit of $1.2 billion, or about 0.3 per cent of GDP. This is close to a balanced budget, and will not result in a draw on pa st reserves as we have sufficient surpluses from the last few years.
