SINGAPORE — Members of Parliament (MPs) have called on the Government to increase its healthcare expenditure, as they expressed concern over whether Singaporeans can cope with increasing healthcare costs, and suggested various measures the Government could adopt to assist citizens.

Speaking in the Budget debate in Parliament today, Nominated MP Janice Koh felt that co-payments are prudent “to guard against over-consumption”, but she suggested the Government study examples in other countries, “where an individual’s share of the total bill … could be capped at a certain percentage of his or her monthly income”.

Associate Professor Fatimah Lateef (Marine Parade GRC) meanwhile suggested that out-of-pocket payments be reduced, and asked whether the Medisave cap of S$400 per annum could be raised to S$500 or S$600.

She also felt that there could be a greater liberalisation of Medisave usage to cover several other illnesses and to include health screenings.

Noting that senior citizens are unwilling to draw down on their children’s Medisave, which they need to do before being eligible for Medifund support, Mr Desmond Lee (Jurong GRC) asked the Government to consider “significantly raising the level of Government subvention for seniors on a means-tested basis”.

He suggested that the use of Medifund be liberalised for low-income and retired Singaporeans, and be based on the means-testing of their children if needed.

Questioning whether current endowment funds for the elderly are increasing fast enough to cater to the ageing population, Dr Lim Wee Kiak (Nee Soon GRC) meanwhile called on the Government to draw on the Net Investment Income (NIC) of the national reserves to top-up Medifund, the Eldercare Fund and the Seniors’ Mobility and Enabling Fund.

Noting that half of the NIC – which amounts to about S$7.5 billion annually – is used to fund Government expenditure, Dr Lim asked whether another 10 per cent or S$750 million of the NIC could be used to finance healthcare for the elderly.

Mr David Ong (Jurong GRC) meanwhile asked that Medishield’s coverage be extended to cover a person’s natural life, rather than the current 90 years of age, and called for an increase in capacity of elderly homes to cut down on “demoralising” waiting times.