At a dinner hosted by the Singapore Cancer Society on Friday, Health Minister Ong Ye Kung hoped the changes would make effective cancer treatments more accessible and affordable for all patients in the future. He said he was.
“But there will be in-flight patients, patients being treated using cancer drugs that are not on the CDL,” he said.
“So we have to avoid situations where the price of cancer drugs skyrockets. We need to take steps to minimize, if not eliminate, the impact on them.”
Additional support for these patients will allow them to complete their treatment with minimal or no impact on MediSave’s withdrawal and MediShield Life’s post-billing out-of-pocket costs, Ong said. said.
If these patients have IP, the insurers have pledged to continue their current IP coverage until at least September next year, he added.
The Life Insurance Association of Japan announced on Friday that all seven insurers offering IP will provide additional support to policyholders during the implementation of the CDL.
Not applicable to IP riders, but starting Friday, August 31, 2024, IP premium rates will remain constant.
The insurer will also provide 2023 coverage to patients whose IP was renewed between April 1, 2023 and September 30, 2023 and who were on chemotherapy as of March 31, 2023. We will provide migration support through September 30, 2019.
“This transition support will give impacted IP policyholders more time to adapt to the change by reviewing their treatment plans and switching to appropriate CDL alternatives where necessary. We can,” said the Life Insurance Association.
“It is important that treatment decisions are made only after full consultation and discussion with future physicians. are also encouraged.”
Prospective patients should consider “clinically proven and more cost-effective” treatment options for CDL with their oncologists before considering alternatives, MOH said.
“Nevertheless, IP insurers have decided that riders’ coverage will continue to cover treatment beyond the CDL,” MOH said, adding that this will allow those who prefer wider coverage or want to pay. He added that it would provide more options for those who do.
