Persons with congenital illnesses can join
MediShield to obtain coverage for medical treatment that is not related
to their congenital condition...
As for children attending special
schools or with special needs, the basis of coverage is the same as
the basis for other children, that is, they should be healthy at the
point of entry and have no pre-existing illnesses...
Come 25 November 2007, Singaporeans who have
forgotten their Singapore Personal Access (or SingPass) password will be
able to get it reset almost immediately...
The new hotline, SingPass website and system
administration will be managed by CrimsonLogic Pte Ltd, who was
appointed by the Government through a competitive tender to develop,
operate and maintain SingPass in April 2006. SingPass was previously
managed by the Central Provident Fund Board...
The Government is introducing the Medisave
Contribution Draw (MCD) to encourage low-income self-employed persons (SEPs)
and informal workers to contribute to their Medisave accounts...
The MCD will consist of four quarterly draws
for each year of work done...
The MCD will run for three years and will be
reviewed thereafter...
"By 2012, we will require employers to offer re-employment to workers
reaching 62, up to age 65, and eventually to 67. This change will
precede the raising of the Draw Down Age (DDA). By 2012, employers
will be required to offer re-employment up to age 65 but the DDA to
65 will only be effected in 2018 – a significant time lag to help
workers and employers adjust...
"1% additional bonus interest will be
paid on the first $60,000 in a CPF member's combined accounts, with not more than
$20,000 from the OA accounts. This will enhance CPF's existing
risk-free framework...
"While our employment rates are among the highest in the world, our
residents are also among the longest living. The present DDA of 62
years is hence too early and results in the majority of members
prematurely depleting their savings. Thus, we will do the following: a.
progressively raise draw down age..
"Even after changes to DDA, there will be those who live longer than
85. We want to ensure that they have a stream of income for life. The Government will therefore be looking at making annuities
compulsory for members to protect them against outliving their
retirement savings...
"Our preliminary computations suggest that
the total ElderShield rebate amount is likely to exceed $60 million.
When confirmed, it will be distributed to the existing policyholders
numbering some 770,000.
The rebates, when confirmed, will be given
out in proportion to each policyholder’s contribution during the 5-year
period..."
"MediShield coverage among active
workers is not bad, at 90%. But 390,000 Singaporeans below 20
years of age are not insured. The premium at their age is
inexpensive, only $30 per year.
"And
young parents can use their Baby Bonus to pay the
premium. So cost is not the issue...
"We will introduce an
opt-out scheme for infants to be automatically covered
under MediShield from the time their births are
registered.
"Premiums can be deducted
from their fathers' Medisave or alternatively their
mothers'. Parents who do not want such coverage can
opt out any time by informing the CPF Board. We will
get this done later this year..."
"With immediate effect, HDB will be
relaxing its policy on the subletting of whole flats through a
further reduction of the MOP and delinking it from the lessees’
HDB loan status. The revised MOP is:
"5 years for owners of
subsidised flats, i.e. flats
purchased directly from HDB or from the open market with a CPF
Housing Grant; and
3 years for owners of non-subsidised flats, i.e.
flats purchased from the open market without a CPF Housing
Grant..."
"In the last five years, our real
per-capita GDP grew on average by 4.3% per annum, but real average
wages (after adjusting for inflation) grew at only half this rate
– 2.1%.
"Higher-end wages have risen by more
than this. But at the lower-end wages have increased by much less,
and some have even stagnated.
"This is why we are implementing
Workfare as a fourth pillar of our social safety net, together
with the CPF, the 3Ms (Medisave, MediShield and Medifund) and HDB
home ownership..."
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