NOTICE PAPER NO. 1429
NOTICE OF QUESTION FOR ORAL ANSWER
FOR THE SITTING OF PARLIAMENT ON 20 OCTOBER 2022
Name and Constituency of Member of Parliament
Miss Rachel Ong
MP for West Coast GRC
Question No. 3579
To ask the Minister for Health (a) what is the average pricing for rehabilitative physiotherapy sessions before subsidy in organisations eligible for Government subsidies, for seniors above 60 years old; (b) what is the current percentage of seniors have their fees subsidised for such services; (c) how many seniors discontinue rehabilitative physiotherapy sessions each year due to financial difficulties; and (d) of these seniors who discontinue such services due to financial difficulties, what is the percentage breakdown based on monthly household income per capita and annual value of residence.
Answer
The average pre-subsidy fee charged by community care organisations providing subsidised day rehabilitation services is around $95 per session. Seniors receiving rehabilitation services in the community can receive means-tested subsidies of up to 80%. In 2021, about 80% of seniors who received rehabilitation services in the community benefitted from these subsidies.
MOH does not have data on the number of seniors who discontinued rehabilitation sessions due to financial difficulties. Nevertheless, seniors who face difficulties paying their rehabilitation bills may seek their healthcare provider’s assistance in applying for discretionary financial assistance, including MediFund assistance for needy Singaporeans. This ensures that seniors can receive the care they require regardless of their financial circumstances.