After certain groups were asking that Medisave be allowed for the detection of breast cancer, Health Minister has responded. I agree with his response and feel that medisave should be indeed kept for a rainy day instead.
HEALTH Minister Khaw Boon Wan said on Sunday that he was 'sympathetic' towards the need for women to have mammograms, but said he was concerned about people depleting their Medisave accounts too quickly.
Speaking after house visits where he helped distribute food hampers to 260 households in a rental block in Marsiling, he said: 'Don't forget, Medisave was for hospitalisation. It is for sick people - in fact, very sick people, who have bills of around $2,000.'
He was responding to an appeal from Minister in the Prime Minister's Office Lim Hwee Hua to let women use Medi-save to pay for breast cancer screenings.
Mrs Lim said on Saturday that helping women aged 50 to 69 form a habit of screening for breast cancer every two years is a current priority of the community arm of women PAP MPs, known as Women Inspiring, Nurturing, Grooming Singaporeans (Wings).
Mr Khaw said that his rule of thumb was that anything less than $100 should be paid out of one's cash savings. He added that current subsidies for mammograms bring their cost as low as $50 for women over 40, and $25 for those who have not gone for checks in the past three years.
His worry: That people in their 50s may use their Medisave money on smaller expenses, not anticipating what could befall them in the future.
HEALTH Minister Khaw Boon Wan said on Sunday that he was 'sympathetic' towards the need for women to have mammograms, but said he was concerned about people depleting their Medisave accounts too quickly.
Speaking after house visits where he helped distribute food hampers to 260 households in a rental block in Marsiling, he said: 'Don't forget, Medisave was for hospitalisation. It is for sick people - in fact, very sick people, who have bills of around $2,000.'
He was responding to an appeal from Minister in the Prime Minister's Office Lim Hwee Hua to let women use Medi-save to pay for breast cancer screenings.
Mrs Lim said on Saturday that helping women aged 50 to 69 form a habit of screening for breast cancer every two years is a current priority of the community arm of women PAP MPs, known as Women Inspiring, Nurturing, Grooming Singaporeans (Wings).
Mr Khaw said that his rule of thumb was that anything less than $100 should be paid out of one's cash savings. He added that current subsidies for mammograms bring their cost as low as $50 for women over 40, and $25 for those who have not gone for checks in the past three years.
His worry: That people in their 50s may use their Medisave money on smaller expenses, not anticipating what could befall them in the future.
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