Healthier SG program offers free health screenings to encourage preventive care and empower citizens in managing their health.
SINGAPORE: Those who enroll in Healthier SG—a voluntary national primary care program—will be eligible for free screenings for three common chronic conditions and three types of cancers, announced Health Minister Ong Ye Kung on Tuesday (Oct 4).
The conditions included are Type 2 diabetes, hypertension, and hyperlipidemia, alongside screenings for breast, cervical, and colorectal cancer. Individuals with specific risk factors may be referred for additional tests.
In his address in Parliament, where he led a motion endorsing a White Paper on Healthier SG, Mr. Ong highlighted the initiative as a crucial strategy to address the challenges posed by an aging population and the growing prevalence of chronic diseases.
The new program aims to empower citizens to take charge of their health by enrolling with a single doctor—either a general practitioner or a polyclinic doctor—who will assist them with their health needs throughout their lives.
Under the proposed plan, those opting for Healthier SG can schedule face-to-face onboarding health consultations, covered by the government. Participants can develop health plans with their doctors, who will continue to monitor their progress through follow-ups, providing an overview of their health status and guiding lifestyle adjustments or weight management.
Originally announced during the Ministry of Health’s (MOH) Committee of Supply debate in March, Healthier SG will be available to citizens aged 60 and above in the second half of 2023, with gradual availability extending to those aged 40 to 59 over the following two years.
Additional Subsidies and Using MediSave
An additional subsidy tier will be introduced under the Community Health Assist Scheme (CHAS) for common chronic drugs to reduce the price disparities between general practitioner clinics and polyclinics.
This will encourage residents to remain with their chosen family doctors. All enrolled Singaporean CHAS cardholders, including Pioneer and Merdeka Generation cardholders, will benefit from this initiative.
Mr. Ong emphasized that while it may not equalize drug prices entirely, the substantial reduction will make treatment more accessible. Furthermore, changes under the Healthier SG initiative will eliminate the requirement for MediSave users to co-pay 15% of treatment costs; they will now be able to cover the full amount with MediSave.
This adjustment aims to incentivize personal responsibility for healthier living. Community partners, including the People’s Association and Sport Singapore, will organize health-related activities to promote active lifestyles, while the Healthy 365 app will be enhanced to include features for tracking calorie intake.
Spending More on Preventive Care
Singapore’s annual healthcare expenditure is projected to reach approximately S$22 billion, nearly tripling to S$60 billion by 2030. To mitigate rising healthcare costs, the government is emphasizing preventive care to improve the overall health of citizens.
Currently, about 6% of Singapore’s annual healthcare budget is allocated to preventive care initiatives, such as the Health Promotion Board (HPB). However, Mr. Ong expressed hopes to increase this percentage through the new healthcare reform initiative.
“With Healthier SG, we aim to potentially double the share of total healthcare expenditure dedicated to preventive measures in the coming years,” he stated.
The setup cost for Healthier SG is estimated at over S$1 billion over the next three to four years, funding new IT systems and supporting general practitioners with a “one-time support” for necessary IT upgrades. Additionally, recurrent costs are projected to include funding support measures for residents and annual service fees for GPs, totaling an estimated S$400 million per year.
Mr. Ong concluded by emphasizing that the primary goal of these investments is to alleviate the disease burden and reduce the suffering of Singaporeans and their families. “If this national medical bill doubles instead of tripling in the next decade, we will have saved significantly more than what we are investing in preventive care,” he added.
