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SINGAPORE – The six-month extension of insurance coverage for patients with Integrated Shield Plans (IPs) who are undergoing cancer treatments not on the Cancer Drug List ends on Saturday.
A spokesman for the Ministry of Health (MOH) said: “Patients who are currently receiving transitional support but who are unable to complete their current course of (non-CDL) treatment may contact their IP insurers to check on their coverage after Sept 30, 2023.”
The CDL was introduced in 2022 to try to stem the escalating cost of cancer treatments. Cancer treatments in 2021 amounted to $275 million, more than double the $110 million spent in 2017.
CDL comprises treatments that are both clinically proven and more cost-effective. Cancer treatments not on the CDL do not receive government subsidy, nor can claims be paid for with Medisave. They also cannot be covered by MediShield Life or IP health insurance.
Some pharmaceutical companies had to reduce the price of their drugs to get on the list. As a result, drug cost for the public sector has fallen by 30 per cent on average.
The lower prices are not reflected in the private sector.
The CDL, which started with 270 cancer treatments in August 2021, will have a total of 368 approved treatments by November, MOH told The Straits Times.
CDL became effective for MediShield Life policy holders on Sept 1, 2022, and for IP policy holders on April 1, 2023, upon the renewal of their insurance policies.
IPs had committed to covering non-CDL treatments till the end of September, to allow those who were already being treated for cancer to complete their regimen.
MOH also separated insurance claims for cancer drugs and cancer services. MediShield covers between $200 and $9,600 per month for drugs and up to $3,600 a year for cancer services, which include doctor’s consultation fee, laboratory tests, scans and other medicines that might be needed for conditions such as nausea or infection.
For people with IPs, coverage ranges from double to five times the MediShield Life limits, depending their insurer and plan.
However, coverage is generally much higher for those who have bought riders. These are separate policies originally meant to pay the portion of bills not covered by the IPs. They are paid for in cash, unlike IPs which are paid by Medisave up to an age-based limit.
About one in three people here have riders.
Now, riders also pay for some non-CDL treatments. The type of treatment and the amount covered vary with insurers.
For drugs used in non-CDL treatments, coverage by riders range from $30,000 a year to $360,000 a year. For cancer services, the range goes from no additional cover, to “as charged”.
