Important Announcements
Benefit enhancements from 1 Sep 2024
(I) Benefit enhancements to IncomeShield (IS)
Our IncomeShield health insurance plans are designed to provide our customers with sustainable protection that meets their long-term healthcare needs. To do this, we annually review our scope of coverage to ensure that it keeps pace with the needs of our policyholders and medical advancements. From 1 September 2024, upon renewal of the policy, the following benefits will have increased limits:
a) Increased outpatient cancer drug treatment and cancer drug services benefit limits for one primary cancer for all IS plans.
b) Increased outpatient cancer drug treatment and cancer drug services benefit limits for multiple primary cancers for all IS plans. (The term ‘multiple primary cancers’ is defined as two or more cancers arising from different sites and are of a different histology or morphology group.)
c) Increased inpatient psychiatric treatment benefit limits for all IS plans.
(II) Benefit enhancements to Deluxe Care rider and Classic Care rider
We will also be enhancing the following benefits for your rider from 1 September 2024 to supplement your coverage on outpatient cancer drug treatments:
a) Increased additional cancer drug treatment benefit limits for one primary cancer for all riders attached to IS plans.
b) Increased additional cancer drug treatment benefit limits for multiple primary cancers for all riders attached to IS plans.
Click here to view the policy and rider benefit limits under each of the above benefits. Please refer to your policy conditions for the precise terms, conditions and exclusions of the respective benefits.
To view a sample of our renewal letter, click here.
For more information, please read our FAQs here.
Changes to coverage for Outpatient Cancer Drug Treatments and introduction of the Ministry of Health’s (MOH’s) Cancer Drug List (CDL)
The Ministry of Health (MOH) has developed a Cancer Drug List (CDL) comprising clinically proven and more cost-effective cancer treatments. From 1 September 2022, MediShield Life (MSHL) and MediSave (MSV) will only cover treatments on the CDL. For all Integrated Shield Plans (IPs), the CDL will take effect from 1 April 2023, upon the renewal of your policy. Customers with riders can claim for selected cancer drug treatments beyond the CDL.
Upon renewal of your policy, the outpatient Chemotherapy and Immunotherapy benefit will be replaced with a new outpatient Cancer Drug Treatment benefit and Cancer Drug Services benefit:
- Cancer Drug Treatment benefit – Only outpatient cancer drug treatments on the CDL will be claimable under your Policy, up to the treatment-specific benefit limits. Selected outpatient cancer drug treatments beyond the CDL will be claimable under riders. If you require cancer treatment following the changes, please consult your doctor early on whether your treatment is on the CDL.
- Cancer Drug Services benefit – Services that are part of any outpatient cancer drug treatment (including services for treatments not on the CDL), such as consultations, scans, lab investigations, treatment preparation and administration, supportive care drugs and blood transfusions, will be claimable under the Cancer Drug Services benefit, up to specified benefit limits.
We will also be introducing a new Additional Cancer Drug Treatment benefit for your rider from 1 April 2023 to supplement your coverage on outpatient cancer drug treatments:
- Additional Cancer Drug Treatment benefit – Outpatient cancer drug treatments on the CDL, and non-CDL treatments under drug classes A to E, will be claimable under your rider, up to the treatment-specific benefit limits for CDL treatments and monthly limits for non-CDL treatments. A co-payment is payable for each claim, and it will vary according to the type of cancer drug treatment.
On CDL: For outpatient cancer drug treatments on the CDL, the rider benefit limit will be an additional 200% of your respective Policy benefit limit on Cancer Drug Treatment. This rider benefit limit will be on top of your respective Policy benefit limit on Cancer Drug Treatment. The co-payment based on your rider will apply. For treatment provided by our panel or extended panel, the co-payment limit will be up to $3,000 for each policy year.
On non-CDL under drug classes from A to E: For outpatient cancer drug treatments classified as non-CDL under drug classes A to E, the rider benefit limit will be up to $4,000 (each month), according to your respective Policy. The co-payment based on your rider will apply and it will not have any co-payment limit.
Click here to view the Policy and rider benefit limits and coverage under each of the above benefit.
To view a sample of our one time communication letter, click here.
For more information, please read our FAQs here.
Changes to MediShield Life coverage for cancer drug treatment and services (From 1 Sep 2022)
From 1 Sep 2022, MediShield Life will shift to cover a Cancer Drug List (CDL) of clinically proven and more cost-effective outpatient cancer drug treatments. This will help ensure greater affordability of cancer treatments and insurance in the longer term.
Prior to 1 Sep 2022, patients could claim up to $3,000 per month under MediShield Life for all outpatient cancer drug treatments and related services. From 1 Sep 2022, the claim limits will range from $200 to $9,600 per month depending on the cancer drug treatment. An additional $3,600 per year is claimable for cancer drug services.
All Integrated Shield Plans (IPs) will also follow the CDL and introduce claim limits, when policyholders purchase or renew their policies from 1 April 2023. IPs will not cover treatments not on the CDL. Riders will cover selected treatments not on the CDL, to varying extents. More details on IP and rider coverage of cancer drug treatments and services have been shared with policyholders in end 2022.
For more information, visit MOH’s website here.
