A series of public consultation sessions will be launched from January to June 2017 by ElderShield Review Committee (ESRC) to seek Singaporeans’ views and suggestions on enhancing ElderShield.
Details of the first three public sessions are as follows:
The Committee, chaired by Mr Chaly Mah, was appointed by the Ministry of Health (MOH) in October 2016 to review ElderShield and to study ways to enhance the severe disability insurance scheme.
ElderShield is an insurance scheme to help those with severe disabilities cope with the financial demands of their daily care. MOH states that with more Singaporeans living longer, it is timely to review ElderShield to enable the scheme to meet the future needs of Singaporeans as the population ages.
ESRC plans to gather views from members of the public on how ElderShield can be improved, while keeping the scheme affordable and sustainable. Possible topics include how to calibrate the right level of ElderShield coverage and benefits such that it complements personal and family savings, government subsidies and other financial assistance schemes to help Singaporeans prepare for their severe disability needs, especially in old age.
The others are how to ensure that premiums for ElderShield coverage remain affordable for all Singaporeans as benefits are improved and how the ElderShield enrolment and claims assessment processes can be improved.
As part of the consultation process, ESRC will also engage stakeholders from a wide range of fields, including caregivers, long-term care service providers, healthcare professionals, insurers and financial advisors, employers, unions, community partners and grassroots leaders.
Mr Mah said, “ElderShield is an important component of the long-term care financing landscape, and complements personal savings, government subsidies for long-term care services and various financial assistance schemes. It allows Singaporeans to pay a small amount of premiums while working, and to receive some financial support should we become severely disabled, especially in old age.”
“As we consider possible enhancements to ElderShield, we should also bear in mind that better coverage and benefits will come with higher premiums. We need to think about how to keep premiums affordable for all, and how we can provide more support for lower-income Singaporeans to enable them to participate in the scheme. We welcome and encourage all Singaporeans, including younger Singaporeans who are planning for the future, to actively participate in the public consultation and share your suggestions with us,” he added.
The Committee noted that members of the public may sign up for the public consultation sessions via any of the following channels:
- Log on to the public consultation page at www.eldershield.sg to sign up.
- Email the committee at [email protected].
- Call 6325 9220 to register.
While, members of the public who wish to share their suggestions separately via an online feedback form, or wish to find out more about ElderShield may also do so at www.eldershield.sg.
