By Ng Wan Ching

THE Ministry of Health (MOH) yesterday announced changes to Medifund to extend help to needy Singaporeans for HIV treatment, including medication.

From next month, needy HIV-positive patients may no longer have to pay for their treatment, for which the medication alone can go up to $14,000 a year.

To qualify, they have to pass a means test and show they are genuinely in need.

As inpatients or outpatients, HIV patients have long enjoyed subsidies in accordance with their ward classes. But it was not enough.

From 1 Feb, MOH will inject an additional $8.5 million into Medifund to help needy Singaporeans, including those with HIV.

This means that an HIV-positive patient could end up getting up to 100 per cent of his medical, hospitalisation and medication bills covered.

The drug cocktails that HIV patients need to take long-term have remained expensive over the years. The costs of commonly used HIV drug combinations available in Singapore range from $9,800 to $14,300 a year.

The chairman of the Medifund Advisory Committee, Mr Gerard Ee, blogged yesterday that there are few HIV generic drugs available here as most HIV drugs are still protected by patent rights.

Patients who travel to other countries to buy generic drugs can save up to 90 per cent of costs.

This is something that they can continue to do to keep their costs down, said Mr Ee. MOH does not prohibit patients from bringing in medicine from other countries for their own use.

HIV patients may also need other medical treatment and hospitalisation. These treatment and hospitalisation costs vary depending on the condition and medical needs of the HIV patient.

An MOH spokesman told The New Paper that Medifund may assist with up to 100 per cent of the patient's share of the bill.

The actual amount of assistance provided will depend on the patient's financial and social circumstances, as well as the bill size incurred.

Responding to feedback

The decision by MOH is in response to feedback from some voluntary welfare organisations and doctors treating HIV patients, that some of them need additional financial help to cover their treatment.

From 1985 to October last year, 4,319 Singapore residents have been reported to have HIV.

Said the spokesman: "We do not have sufficient information to know how many of them will need Medifund assistance since Medifund is means-tested, but we hope the additional funds will be able to help them out with their bills, if needed."

MOH will monitor the need for Medifund assistance and adjust the allocations accordingly.

HIV patients who face difficulty with their medical bills can approach the medical social workers of the Medifund-approved restructured hospitals and institutions for help.

This article was first published in The New Paper.