Why can’t the Government provide and administer the Standard Integrated Shield Plan, to ensure that premiums are more affordable and to cover pre-existing conditions with risk-loading, similar to MediShield Life?

The Government’s focus is to provide basic and affordable health insurance coverage for all Singapore Residents through MediShield Life, regardless of their health condition. Therefore, MediShield Life is designed to provide sufficient coverage for subsidised Class B2/C wards. Singapore Residents who wish to have coverage beyond MediShield Life can purchase private Integrated Shield Plans (IPs), which will come at higher premiums than MediShield Life due to the additional private insurance component.

The Standard IP was developed in response to the MediShield Life Review Committee’s recommendation in 2014, to provide a “no-frills” IP option, for those who want to switch from their more expensive IPs to a more affordable one, and for those who wish to have higher coverage beyond MediShield Life. The Standard IP was also designed to have standardised features to facilitate comparison of premiums by consumers.

As the Standard IP is an optional plan designed for higher coverage in Class B1 wards and is not a basic product, it is provided by private insurers.

Similar to all other IPs, premiums and underwriting decisions are determined by insurers based on their own commercial considerations and risk assessment frameworks.

The Ministry of Health will continue to review MediShield Life and IPs, to ensure that they remain relevant to Singapore Residents with different needs.

This information provided here is sourced from the MOH website.