Younger Singaporeans to benefit from Community Health Assist Scheme: PM Lee

SINGAPORE — Children from low-income households will be eligible for subsidised outpatient medical treatments, with the removal of the age floor in the Community Health Assist Scheme (CHAS).

Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong announced the enhanced CHAS scheme today (Aug 18) during the National Day Rally.

Previously, while the scheme extended to an applicant’s family members living within the same household, it was limited to those above the age of 40.

With this change, all Singaporeans whose per capita household monthly income S$1,500 and below will qualify for CHAS and receive a Health Assist card.

CHAS subsidises outpatient medical treatment for chronic and/or acute conditions, as well as selected dental services. This Health Assist card gives the holder subsidies at participating CHAS General Practitioners (GPs) and dental clinics near their homes.

Mr Lee also announced that, under CHAS, subsidies for lower- and middle-income patients will be increased for visits to specialist outpatient clinics. Subsidies are now at 50 per cent of the treatment cost. Mr Lee, however, added that beneficiaries will be means-tested for additional subsidies.

Noting that there have been many requests for Medisave to be used for more outpatient treatments, Mr Lee said that the Government is studying how to do is.

“In principle this is sound ... We want to move in this direction,” said the Prime Minister. “We’ll be studying carefully how to do this.”