Hefty MediShield premiums an improvement?

The Government recently announced improvements to MediShield, with a moderate increase in premiums and some Medisave top-ups. The news was generally welcomed. I was therefore shocked when NTUC Income notified me that my premium increase was almost 70 per cent.

I am in the 61-65 age band and was until last year paying S$514 per annum for an IncomeShield Plan MA, which NTUC Income changed to its new Plan A with an annual premium of S$868.

The increase is more than the S$300 top-up to my Medisave, and the premium is above the S$800 limit I can use from Medisave. In a year or two, my premium will be S$1,192 per annum (66-70 age band). At a time when Singaporeans are unhappy about high medical costs, such hefty premium increases do not make sense.

Furthermore, many in the 61-65 age group are not working or working at subsistence level. How will they continue to afford the premiums, as the top-up is a one-off assistance?

When contacted, NTUC Income suggested that I could downgrade to Plan B or C, with premiums at S$640 and S$546 respectively. These are still higher than my premium of S$514, and their coverage is not as good as the MA Plan’s.

It is in the interest of all Singaporeans that some adjustment or, at least, debate may come out of highlighting the rising MediShield premiums for senior citizens.