MOH will be adjusting the healthcare subsidy for PRs for inpatient wards, day surgery and specialist outpatient clinics in the restructured hospitals, to further sharpen the distinction in health benefits between citizens and PRs.

With this adjustment, the subsidy for PRs in most income bands will be revised to half the corresponding subsidy that citizens receive. This has been moderated for lower-income PRs.  The changes will be implemented in two phases – in October 2012 and April 2013 – to mitigate the impact of these adjustments on PRs. The current and revised subsidy rates for PRs (from October 2012) are tabulated below. A further adjustment will be carried out in April 2013 for the higher income tiers.

Revision of subsidy for PRs

Type of Ward Class/Service	Citizen subsidy level	PR subsidy level
		Current	From 1 Oct 2012
Affected Services
Class B2+	50%	30%	25%
Class B2	65%	45%	40%
Class C	80%	60%	55%
Day Surgery	65%	45%	40%
Specialist Outpatient Clinic (SOC)	50%	30%	25%
Unaffected Services
Class B1	20%	10%	No change
A&E	50%	50%

Note: Figures for Class B2+, B2 and C reflect maximum subsidy rate. Patients (both citizens and PRs) in higher income groups will qualify for lower subsidy due to means testing.   
  
For other foreigners (non-PR), they are not entitled to any hospital subsidy since 1 January 2008.

The revised subsidy policy will apply to inpatient Class B2 and C wards, day surgery and specialist outpatient clinics, similar to the subsidy reduction for PRs when it was introduced in January 2008.  Emergency services at the emergency departments of the public hospitals will not be affected.

The revised PR subsidy policy is structured to further sharpen the distinction in health benefits between citizens and PRs.

If you are a PR, the change will not affect your day surgery subsidy status (private or subsidised). 

The subsidy status for your day surgery procedure will follow that of your Specialist Outpatient Clinic (SOC).  If you are a subsidised SOC patient, you will be eligible for subsidies for your day surgery procedure.  However, the revised day surgery subsidy will apply, ie, at 50% from January 2011 and 45% from July 2011 for PRs.  Otherwise, you will be treated as a private patient, i.e. no subsidy.

If you are a foreigner, your subsidy status for day surgery will be classified as private (since 1 January 2008).

For PRs, the inpatient subsidy will depend on their choice of ward class.  For admissions from 1 October 2012, the inpatient subsidy for PRs will be up to 30 percentage points lower than that for Singapore citizens. A further reduction will apply for admissions from 1 April 2013 for the higher income tiers.

Foreigners will not be subsidised regardless of their choice of ward class.

PRs are still heavily subsidised at the public hospitals. If you have been making regular contributions to Medisave and are covered under MediShield, you should not have difficulties paying the increase in bill size.   If you do not have any medical insurance coverage, we strongly encourage that you sign up for an insurance plan to cover yourself against catastrophic or prolonged illnesses.  For more information on MediShield, please refer to www.cpf.gov.sg or contact CPF Board at telephone no. : 1800-227 1188.

Yes. If you are a PR, the SOC subsidy will be reduced from 30% to 25% with effect from 1 October 2012.

If you are a PR, you will continue to be classified as subsidised SOC patient if you are referred from a polyclinic.  However, the revised PR subsidy rate for SOC will apply, i.e. at 25% from October 2012.

If you are a foreigner, you are already not eligible for subsidised SOC services even if you are referred from a polyclinic.

If you are a PR, you will continue to be classified as subsidised SOC patient if you are referred from the A&E. However, the revised PR subsidy rate for SOC will apply.  If you are a foreigner, you will be classified as a private patient for referrals from A&E or any other sources for SOC consultation (since 1 January 2008). 

An exception will be made for emergency services at hospital emergency departments.  Fees will not differ between citizens, PRs or foreigners.  This is to avoid any undue delay in patients seeking treatment for emergency conditions due to the higher costs if subsidy is withdrawn.  MOH will monitor utilisations at the emergency departments and review the subsidy policy for emergency services if necessary.