MOH welcomes taskforce report

The Ministry of Health (MOH) recently welcomed a “timely and commendable” report by an industry-led taskforce on managing the cost of health insurance in Singapore, amid escalating claim costs for Integrated Shield Plans.

The taskforce recommended a number of “targeted measures” with the aim of steering stakeholders towards “more efficient outcomes specifically to keep claims escalation in check and Integrated Shield Plan (IP) premium levels affordable.”

There are six recommendations made, which include: introducing medical fee benchmarks or guidelines or an range of professional fees; clarifying the process to raise cases of inappropriate medical treatment; having a panel of preferred healthcare providers; encouraging insurers to include co-payment features; pre-approval of medical treatments for medical coverage; and educating consumers on healthcare options.

The MOH will engage with insurers, healthcare providers, policyholders and patients to further discuss and study the recommendations, said a statement.