Free health screenings for diabetes, some cancers under Healthier SG reform to promote preventive care

SINGAPORE — The Government will offer free health screenings for six types of chronic conditions and cancers for eligible Singapore residents who enrol to be tied with a fixed family doctor under the national Healthier SG programme.

Health Minister Ong Ye Kung said on Tuesday (Oct 4) that these screenings, recommended for the general population, will be for:

• Type 2 diabetes
• Hypertension, or high blood pressure
• Hyperlipidaemia, or high cholesterol
• Breast cancer
• Cervical cancer
• Colorectal cancer

Healthy 365, a government-developed mobile application that gives users rewards vouchers for exercising, will also be enhanced by allowing users to track their calorie intake, for instance.

In a speech in Parliament, Mr Ong gave details on what the Healthier SG programme will mean for residents here as the Government embarks on a long-term reform of the healthcare sector to focus on preventive care over just acute care.

The reform, Mr Ong said, will allow his ministry to “live up to the name of the Ministry of Health, not the ministry of sickness”.

FREE SCREENINGS, VACCINATIONS

The Ministry of Health (MOH) announced in March that from next year, it will invite Singapore residents to register with a family doctor of their choice to be the first port of call for all their healthcare needs.

Enrolment will be open to residents aged 60 years and above in the second half of next year, followed by those in the 40 to 59 age group in the next two years.

Once enrolled with a family doctor, the Government will fully fund the most important aspects of preventive care, Mr Ong said on Tuesday.

Annual preventive care check-ins with the family doctor, as well as nationally recommended health screenings and vaccinations will be free.

Right now, Singaporeans are charged up to S$5 or get free health screening at selected clinics under the national Screen For Life programme, depending on income and the generation group they belong. 

For example, the screening test and first post-screening consultation for colorectal cancer (if assessed that it is needed) will be free for the Pioneer Generation, who are citizens born on or before Dec 31, 1949 or became a Singapore citizen on or before Dec 31, 1986.

Mr Ong said that under the healthcare reform, complex screenings such as colonoscopy will not be free but will continue to be heavily subsidised at hospitals. 

As for free vaccinations, they include influenza and pneumococcal jabs for those aged 65 and above or who have specific medical conditions.

Mr Ong has said before that the price of medication at general practitioner (GP) clinics for chronic diseases such as high blood pressure or diabetes will be reduced to a level “comparable” to those at polyclinics. 

DEDICATED DOCTOR CAN BE CHANGED

Once a family doctor has been chosen, residents will still be able to change their minds such as when they move house or find a more suitable doctor, Mr Ong clarified on Tuesday.

Residents may also continue visiting other doctors, including specialists who may already be taking care of their chronic illnesses.

Mr Ong acknowledged that some residents are worried that their regular GP clinic may get too crowded. 

Residents will be prompted in an online system when registering to enrol with the doctor they now regularly visit, with that doctor being at the top of a drop-down list, Mr Ong said, with details expected to come later.

The Government is working with the polyclinics and GP networks to find out who their regular patients are.

“We will try our best to manage this,” Mr Ong added. “We are also doing enrolment in stages so that enrolment demand will not (become), overnight, so overwhelming.

“You may also want to enrol early when the time comes to ‘chope’ (reserve) your regular GP.”

MEDISAVE FOR CHRONIC ILLNESSES

Residents who are using MediSave from the Central Provident Fund, a national medical savings scheme, to pay for treatment of chronic illnesses will no longer need to co-pay 15 per cent of the bill with cash, Mr Ong said. 

He acknowledged that this was “somewhat a departure” from most government subsidy schemes where some co-payment is required to reflect a sharing of responsibility and uphold the concept of individual effort.

“Here, we decided that since preventive care is very fundamental to healthcare, further subsidy is justified,” he added.

“It does not contradict the principle of personal responsibility, because in the context of preventive care, personal responsibility and actions are needed to make changes and lead a healthier life.”

PROMOTING ACTIVE LIFESTYLES

Beyond strengthening the relationship between patients and family doctors, an important component of the new healthcare reform will be to promote and support healthy lifestyles.

The existing Healthy 365 app, which will be improved, awards points to users who track their activities using fitness trackers and buy healthier food options.

These points can then be used to redeem vouchers and rewards that can be spent on public transport, supermarkets and other merchants.

Mr Ong said that the Government has also roped in community partners and government agencies such as the People’s Association, Sport Singapore and the Health Promotion Board to organise more health-related activities including ball games, brisk-walking, Zumba classes and community gardening.

Sports facilities, parks, park connectors and other public infrastructure will be improved as well, he added.

The Healthier SG strategy was first announced in Parliament during the debate on the Ministry of Health’s budget in March. 

The reform was driven by the rapidly ageing population here as well as with lessons in preventive care learnt from the Covid-19 pandemic. 

It aims to shift the bulk of healthcare from hospitals to the community, and to allow residents to take charge of their own health through a better relationship with their family doctors.