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MEDISAVE will be extended to cover the vaccination against the Human Papillomavirus (HPV), which causes cervical cancer, from Nov 1, the Health Ministry announced yesterday morning.
Among Singapore women, cervical cancer is the sixth most frequent cancer and eighth most frequent cause of cancer death. It is generally treatable when detected early. Most cervical cancer is caused by HPV.
Medisave helps Singaporeans pay for their hospitalisation expenses. In recent years, the Government has liberalised it to help pay for some costly vaccinations and the treatment of common chronic diseases at outpatient clinics.
But the withdrawal for vaccination and chronic disease management is capped at $300 per Medisave
account (Medisave300) a year. This has benefitted many Singaporeans. Last year, more than 100,000 patients withdrew more than $23 million from their Medisave300.
Patients with any of the eight common chronic diseases – diabetes, high blood pressure, stroke, lipid disorder, COPD, asthma, schizophrenia and major depression – can use Medisave300 to help pay their outpatient bills.
“In 2009, 96,000 patients withdrew $22.5 million under Medisave300 for this purpose. This has reduced
their out-of-pocket expenses. It has also enhanced their health outcomes, as their treatment must follow international best practices to be eligible for claims under this scheme,” said an MOH statement.
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