Wanted: Public feedback on how to improve ElderShield
The Straits Times, 20 Dec 2016
Peg ElderShield payouts to inflation or review it every three years to ensure the payouts keep pace with rising costs.
The Straits Times, 20 Dec 2016
And make the payouts last until the end of the beneficiary's life instead of the current maximum of six years.
That was one idea mooted in March this year.
Suggestions like these are what the ElderShield Review Committee wants as it reviews the disability insurance scheme.
To get public feedback, the committee will be hosting a series of public consultation sessions from January to June next year to find out how people think the scheme can be improved.
The review committee is looking for opinions on the appropriate level of ElderShield coverage and benefits, as well as input on how premiums can be kept affordable even if benefits go up.
The 14-member committee will also look at how to make it easier to sign up for ElderShield and make claims.
ElderShield is an insurance scheme for those who have severe disabilities - that is, people who cannot carry out daily activities such as eating, dressing or taking a bath on their own.
Currently, the scheme provides payouts of up to $400 a month for up to six years. It covered 1.2 million people aged 40 to 83 as of the end of last year.
"ElderShield is an important component of the long-term care financing landscape, and complements personal savings, government subsidies and various financial assistance schemes," said Mr Chaly Mah, chairman of the Singapore Accountancy Commission, who heads the committee.
"As we consider possible enhancements to ElderShield, we should also bear in mind that better coverage and benefits will come with higher premiums."
Minister of State for Health Chee Hong Tat also wrote on Facebook about reviewing the scheme.
"As we enhance the benefits, we will need to carefully evaluate how to balance these with the impact on costs, and how we can provide more support for lower-income Singaporeans to enable them to afford the premiums and participate in the scheme," he said.
The first public consultation session, which is open to interested citizens and permanent residents, will be held on Jan 11 at 7pm at the YMCA of Singapore.
The next two sessions will be held on Feb 18 and March 23.
For details of upcoming sessions, the public can visit the ElderShield website at www.eldershield.sg.
Those who wish to sign up for the sessions can do so on the website. Alternatively, they can email the Health Ministry at moh_qsm@ moh.gov.sg or call 6325-9220.
ElderShield: Stay voluntary or be made mandatory?
By Janice Heng, The Straits Times, 12 Jan 2017
As the severe disability insurance scheme ElderShield is being reviewed, one new question is whether it should remain voluntary or be made mandatory.
This is part of the feedback received by the ElderShield Review Committee so far, said Mr Chaly Mah, chairman of the 14-member committee, last night. He was speaking to reporters at the first of several public consultations.
ElderShield is an insurance scheme for people with severe disabilities who cannot carry out daily activities such as eating, dressing or taking a bath on their own.
The voluntary, opt-out scheme gives payouts of up to $400 a month, for up to six years, for beneficiaries aged 40 and above.
But it is being reviewed to see how it can be improved: for instance, what the appropriate level of coverage and benefits should be.
Minister of State for Health Chee Hong Tat, who was an observer last night, said it was important to balance competing concerns. For instance, raising benefits would cause premiums to rise.
By Janice Heng, The Straits Times, 12 Jan 2017
As the severe disability insurance scheme ElderShield is being reviewed, one new question is whether it should remain voluntary or be made mandatory.
This is part of the feedback received by the ElderShield Review Committee so far, said Mr Chaly Mah, chairman of the 14-member committee, last night. He was speaking to reporters at the first of several public consultations.
ElderShield is an insurance scheme for people with severe disabilities who cannot carry out daily activities such as eating, dressing or taking a bath on their own.
The voluntary, opt-out scheme gives payouts of up to $400 a month, for up to six years, for beneficiaries aged 40 and above.
But it is being reviewed to see how it can be improved: for instance, what the appropriate level of coverage and benefits should be.
Minister of State for Health Chee Hong Tat, who was an observer last night, said it was important to balance competing concerns. For instance, raising benefits would cause premiums to rise.
One view was that a risk-pooling scheme such as ElderShield should be mandatory in order to work, noted Mr Chee. But if so, the question is how to ensure low-income Singaporeans still benefit, he added.
The committee is gathering feedback and will submit its recommendations by the end of the year.
Last night's discussion involved 47 participants aged 23 to 75, ranging from retirees to caregivers.
The committee is gathering feedback and will submit its recommendations by the end of the year.
Last night's discussion involved 47 participants aged 23 to 75, ranging from retirees to caregivers.
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