For instance, to be approved, the medical institution must have a valid licence under the Healthcare Services Act 2020.
In addition, a new concept of “claimable medical treatment or services” is aimed at ensuring that the scheme only covers medical treatments or services provided by approved medical institutions according to the scope of their approval.
The Bill also sought to refine provisions to support premium recovery efforts, such as by serving demand notes through other means like email.
Among other proposed changes were to specify MediShield Life premiums in a more accessible manner, such as on the Ministry of Health’s website, in a bid to improve the administration of the scheme.
WHY IT MATTERS
Madam Rahayu said the shifts in healthcare delivery to outpatient, community and home settings as well as a need to improve scheme administration warranted amendments to existing legislation.
Taken together, the amendments will allow MediShield Life to be responsive to emerging models of care, while enabling more “targeted” approvals as well as suspensions and revocations of approvals for providers and their claimable medical treatments and services.
“This will strengthen the accountability of approved medical institutions and ensure compliance with the claim guidelines for MediShield Life,” said Mdm Rahayu.
On premium recovery, Mdm Rahayu said any owed premiums that cannot be recovered will affect the MediShield Life Fund’s sustainability, and ultimately affect the scheme’s ability to meet its claims.
If left unrecovered, these debts will have to be shouldered by other policyholders in the form of higher premiums, she said.
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