HI Preventive Health and Wellness — Questions and Answers
Question 1: What is the Screen for Life programme in Singapore?
- A cinema programme for seniors
- A national health screening programme offering subsidised screenings for chronic diseases like diabetes, hypertension, and certain cancers for eligible Singaporeans (Correct answer)
- A TV programme about health
- A dental screening programme
Correct answer: A national health screening programme offering subsidised screenings for chronic diseases like diabetes, hypertension, and certain cancers for eligible Singaporeans
Screen for Life provides subsidised health screenings at approved CHAS GP clinics and polyclinics. It covers screenings for cardiovascular risk factors, diabetes, colorectal cancer, and cervical cancer.
Question 2: Does health insurance in Singapore cover preventive health screenings?
- Never
- Some IP plans include preventive health screening benefits; Medisave can be used for certain approved screenings under the Screen for Life programme (Correct answer)
- All screenings are fully covered
- Only blood tests are covered
Correct answer: Some IP plans include preventive health screening benefits; Medisave can be used for certain approved screenings under the Screen for Life programme
MediShield Life does not cover routine screenings, but Medisave can be used for specific approved screenings. Some IP plans offer wellness or preventive care benefits as additional features.
Question 3: What vaccinations are covered under Medisave in Singapore?
- No vaccinations are covered
- Recommended vaccinations under the National Adult Immunisation Schedule and National Childhood Immunisation Schedule can be paid for using Medisave (Correct answer)
- Only flu vaccines
- Only COVID-19 vaccines
Correct answer: Recommended vaccinations under the National Adult Immunisation Schedule and National Childhood Immunisation Schedule can be paid for using Medisave
Medisave covers vaccinations recommended under the national immunisation schedules, including pneumococcal, influenza, Hepatitis B, HPV, and others approved by MOH.
Question 4: What is the Healthier SG programme's approach to chronic disease prevention?
- Only treating diseases after diagnosis
- Enrolling residents with a family doctor for regular health plans, preventive screenings, lifestyle coaching, and early intervention before diseases develop (Correct answer)
- Only providing medication
- Only hospital-based treatment
Correct answer: Enrolling residents with a family doctor for regular health plans, preventive screenings, lifestyle coaching, and early intervention before diseases develop
Healthier SG shifts the focus to prevention by pairing residents with a regular family doctor who creates personalised health plans, conducts regular screenings, and provides lifestyle coaching to prevent chronic diseases.
Question 5: What are the major chronic diseases that Singapore's health insurance system addresses?
- Only diabetes
- Diabetes, hypertension, high cholesterol, heart disease, stroke, cancer, and chronic kidney disease (Correct answer)
- Only cancer
- Only respiratory diseases
Correct answer: Diabetes, hypertension, high cholesterol, heart disease, stroke, cancer, and chronic kidney disease
Singapore faces increasing chronic disease burden. The healthcare and insurance systems are structured to address diabetes, hypertension, hyperlipidaemia, cardiovascular disease, cancer, and chronic kidney disease.
Question 6: How does Singapore promote mental health coverage in health insurance?
- Mental health is not covered
- MediShield Life covers psychiatric inpatient treatment; some IPs offer outpatient mental health coverage; the government is expanding mental health support through community programmes (Correct answer)
- Only medication is covered
- Only private insurance covers mental health
Correct answer: MediShield Life covers psychiatric inpatient treatment; some IPs offer outpatient mental health coverage; the government is expanding mental health support through community programmes
MediShield Life covers inpatient psychiatric treatment at approved institutions. Mental health coverage is expanding, with some IP plans including outpatient counselling benefits and the government increasing community mental health services.
HI Preventive Health and Wellness
What is the Screen for Life programme in Singapore?