GREAT EASTERN RESPONDS
In response to CNA’s queries, Great Eastern said on Thursday that the suspension does not impact its policyholders’ coverage or benefits.
“Customers can still choose to visit these two hospitals,” it said.
For planned procedures or surgeries, the affected hospitals can issue an electronic letter of guarantee, which will be used to request a waiver of deposit on admission, added the insurer.
A letter of guarantee reduces or waives the upfront cash deposit required for treatment and provides assurance of payment to hospitals for part of the bill. It is different from a pre-authorisation certificate.
Great Eastern said customers can continue to file claims to be assessed, and that all eligible and covered claims would be paid.
The insurer still issues pre-authorised certificates for treatments at other private hospitals, such as Mount Alvernia, Farrer Park, Gleneagles and Raffles.
The insurer’s medical care concierge will provide customers with “various options” for treatment, including suggesting private and public hospitals where they can seek treatment.
REMOVAL OF PANEL SPECIALISTS
Dr Ng noted that Great Eastern removed more specialists from its panel in 2024 than any other insurer.
In response to CNA’s question about the drop in its panel specialists, Great Eastern said it does an annual review of its panel to ensure that doctors provide quality service to its patients and “offer reasonable fees aligned to MOH (Ministry of Health) guidelines”.
According to data from the Ministry of Health (MOH), Great Eastern and AIA were the only insurers that saw net decreases in the number of specialists on their panels last year.
While AIA saw its panel shrink by 13 specialists, the drop in Great Eastern’s specialists was four times this, at 52. This meant the number of specialists on Great Eastern’s panel fell by about 15 per cent.
Despite this, Great Eastern still had the third highest number of panel specialists, with 779.
Dr Ng said the partnerships Great Eastern entered into with some hospitals this year could explain why he had not seen any of the insurer’s policyholders in a while.
“I hope that Great Eastern and the affected hospitals will come to an agreement soon and restore the pre-authorisation arrangement,” he added.
