Allow elderly to join Medisheld without underwriting

11 June 2013

Editor, Forum Page
Straits Times

Mr. Geoffrey Kung, secretary of the Reverse Cooperative,  

suggested that seniors should be helped by allowing them to 

join a group health insurance scheme.

I support this suggestion and to use Medishield to achieve this

goal.

I suggest that elderly citizens, above 65 years, should be allowed 

to join this scheme without the need to satisfy the underwriting 

requirements and without exclusion of pre-existing conditions.

We can allow the elderly who are now uninsured a period of three months

to enroll into the scheme. 

To ensure a good take-up, Insurance agents should be allowed to sign up the 

eligible senior citizens and be given a one time commission of $50 for each case.

It should be possible for the claim experience of this group of insured to be

monitored separately, and for any deficit to be funded by the government. 

It is better for our national health care system that these senior citizens be 

covered by Medishield, rather than for them to remain in a limbo.

Tan Kin Lian

President

Financial Services Consumer Association