Civil Serpents now can access your private Medishield account to check your balance!!

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An honorable member of the Coffee Shop Has Just Posted the Following:

Authorised civil servants will be able to access medical and financial records to administer the scheme, but public can restrict access if they are uncomfortable in revealing such details.



SINGAPORE: When universal health insurance scheme MediShield Life comes into force later this year, authorised public servants will have access to medical and financial records, and the Government will be able to impose penalties – as a last resort – on those who default on paying premiums.

Under new laws tabled in Parliament on Monday (Jan 19), authorised public servants – from the Central Provident Fund (CPF) Board and the Ministry of Health (MOH) – will be able to tap into various Government and administrative databases to carry out eligibility checks for premium subsidies. Details such as one’s residential address and monthly income are available in these databases.

This would also facilitate the identification of those with pre-existing medical conditions, who will be covered under MediShield Life at an additional premium of 30 per cent for a decade, said the MOH. Individuals can restrict access to their medical and financial records, should they be uncomfortable with sharing confidential information.

The MOH stressed that there will be safeguards in place to prevent the abuse of the databases, and only authorised people can access them for the purpose of administering the scheme. Anyone who accesses, uses or discloses the information without permission may be fined up to S$5,000, jailed up to a year, or both.

Under the MediShield Life Scheme Bill, penalties of up to 17 per cent of outstanding premiums and interest on late premiums will be slapped on those who default on payment. These recovery measures are meant to clamp down on wilful defaulters with the means to pay their premiums, and are adapted from existing income tax legislation, said the MOH.

Other steps include sending warning letters to remind defaulters of their outstanding bills and appointing agents - such as one’s employer, bank or tenant - to make payment from funds due to the defaulter. As a final, drastic measure, defaulters may be sued. More details will be spelt out in the second reading of the Bill, which is expected at the end of the month.

A MediShield Life Council – consisting members from the public and private sector – will be set up to review and make recommendations to Health Minister Gan Kim Yong on policy and scheme parameters. The Council will also review the administration of the scheme and advise the minister on related matters.

Following the enactment of these new laws, it will become an offence to provide false or misleading information, or omit key information deliberately. Those convicted of doing so may be fined up to S$5,000, jailed a maximum of one year, or both. They may also be required to pay penalties pegged to undercharged premiums or overpaid benefits.


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