Reform use of Medisave for our senior citizens

I refer to the report, “Experts call for reform of healthcare financing system” (Feb 19), and agree with them. While I am grateful that Medisave was created, it has its limitations.

The amount we can draw when we need to use our accounts is insufficient. For example, my unemployed sister went for a laser operation on her eyes for medical reasons. She was advised that she could claim for only one eye.

The reason given was that she should have had the operation, which was at the Singapore National Eye Centre, a public medical facility, done on each eye on separate days. But is Medisave not meant to help cover medical expenses, especially when one is unemployed?

In the case of my colleague’s mother, who had a knee problem and blood clot, when she was advised to go for a Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) test, she could not use her Medisave, and nor could my colleague, for the reason that she was not a certified cancer patient.

After much digging of personal data by the medical counsellor, to apply for the financial assistance scheme, approval was granted. However, this was only for treatment from the date of application. They could not seek a refund for the MRI, which cost almost S$2,000.

Only S$300 was granted per treatment over three months. If treatment is required after this period, they would have to apply for assistance again.

What is the purpose of having so much in Medisave while having to pay for high medical expenses out of pocket? What is the purpose of getting citizens to top up their parents’ Medisave accounts?

Once a Singaporean becomes a senior citizen, he/she should instead be allowed to use Medisave for any treatment, especially if it is incurred at a public hospital or polyclinic.