Payment for health in Singapore

Abstract

If you would like to write for this, or any other Emerald publication, then please use our Emerald for Authors service information about how to choose which publication to write for and submission guidelines are available for all. Please visit www.emeraldinsight.com/authors for more information. About Emerald www.emeraldinsight.comEmerald is a global publisher linking research and practice to the benefit of society. The company manages a portfolio of more than 290 journals and over 2,350 books and book series volumes, as well as providing an extensive range of online products and additional customer resources and services.Emerald is both COUNTER 4 and TRANSFER compliant. The organization is a partner of the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE) and also works with Portico and the LOCKSS initiative for digital archive preservation. AbstractPurpose -Singapore's rapid economic progress has been accompanied by a series of experiments in medical savings and health insurance. This paper aims to examine the "three Ms" -Medisave, MediShield, and Medifund -in order to establish the way in which the policy-instruments are expected to deliver the status required. Design/methodology/approach -The paper collects evidence on both outcomes and payments. Findings -Results show that a nation in which the median citizen is under 40 is in a strong position to rely principally on individual medical savings accounts. The paper predicts that Singapore, as its population ages, will probably rely more heavily on risk pooling and insurance. Practical implications -The practical implications are that an extension of insurance is inevitable, but that earmarked savings will probably remain the first line of defence. Originality/value -The paper is the first to document the Singapore experience of payment for health. It draws inferences and makes recommendations that will be of interest to policy makers both in poorer and in richer countries.

Impact of subsidies on cancer genetic testing uptake in Singapore

“…First, distribution of subsidy through the variable scheme allows for a larger patient population to be eligible for subsidies while reducing overall net spending. Second, our varied subsidy scheme mirrors the Singaporean system of copayment whereby a patient pays a percentage of the cost depending on financial status, with the remainder subsidised by the government 30. The allocation of subsidies in this framework guards against possible abuse of government subsidies, as patients have to meet the two-tiered criteria of testing and subsidy.…”

Cost Containment and Access to Care: The Shanghai Health Care Financing Model

“…Most people still need to arrange funds personally for their medical care needs (Dong, 2007). In fact, Singaporeans see family ties as their "risk-pooling" resort (Schmidt, 2004;Reisman, 2005Reisman, , 2006. It is the same in Shanghai (Dong, 2003).…”

The Retirement Provisions in China, Hong Kong, Singapore and Taiwan: Perspectives on Policy Inputs and Social Outputs

“…Hong Kong and Singapore data are available for 2003 and 2007, and UK data is available for 2001 and 2005. Sources : China Labour Statistical Yearbook (Ministry of Human Resources & Social Security, 2002, 2003 & 2005), China Statistical Yearbook (National Bureau of Statistics of China, 2006, 2007 & 2008), Surveys of National Bureau of Statistics of China (2002, cited in UNFPA, : Table 51), 1% populace census of China (http://www.stats.gov.cn/tjsj/ndsj/renkou/2005/renkou.htm) [accessed: February 10, 2011] (Simplified Chinese), Ministry of Labour and Social Security Statistical Bulletin (http://w1.mohrss.gov.cn/gb/zwxx/node_5436.htm) [accessed: February 10, 2011] (Simplified Chinese), Annual Report of China Insurance Regulatory Commission (http://www.circ.gov.cn) [accessed: February 11, 2011], Quarterly Report on General Household Survey of Hong Kong (Census & Statistics Department, 2006, 2007 & 2008a), Hong Kong's Household Report (Census & Statistics Department, 2001 & 2005b), MPFA's report (Mandatory Provident Fund Authority, 2002, 2004 & 2008), Annual Report of OCI (2003 & 2007), Ministry of Community Development, Youth and Sport (MCYS, 1995 & 2005) and its online statistics (http://www.mcys.gov.sg) [accessed: February 10, 2011], Pai (): Table ), Reisman (: 155–6), CPF Board's annual report (CPF Board, 2001, 2003 & 2007), Yearbook of Statistics Singapore (Singapore Department of Statistics, ), Annual Report of Monetary Authority of Singapore (2003 & 2007), Taiwan's Ministry of Interior (), The Survey of Family Income and Expenditure of Taiwan (DGBAS, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004 & 2005), Yearbook of Labour Statistics Taiwan (Council of Labour Affairs, ), Annual Report of BLI (Bureau of Labour Insurance, ), Annual Report of Taiwan Insurance Institute (http://www.tii.org.tw) [accessed: February 11, 2011], Department for Work and Pensions of the UK (, ), Pensioners' Income Series of the UK (Chapman, Miah & Semmence, ; Davis, Leigh, Parry, Kent & Nicholls, ), OECD StatExtracts (http://stats.oecd.org/index.aspx?r=315247) [accessed: March 11, 2010], and National Insurance Fund Account Report (National Audit Office, various years).…”