CHAS stands
for Community Health Assist Scheme. It is the new and upgraded version of the
Primary Care Partnership Scheme (PCPS). This scheme allows Singapore
Yes, while PCPS was accessible to low middle-income groups,
CHAS benefits even families living on thousands of dollars of income per month.
How so?
The eligibility age has been lowered from 60 years old and
above to 40 years old and above. The exception is those who have severe
mobility problems (unable to do any one of these six activities for yourself -
washing / bathing; toileting; transferring; feeding; dressing; and/or mobility)
– there is no age limitation for this.
The qualifying income ceiling has been raised to a per
capita monthly household income of $1,500 and below. Per capita monthly
household income means the monthly household income per head in the household
and of course, this makes a huge difference over monthly income per household.
This allows even the sandwiched middle-class to benefit from significantly
subsidised health care at private clinics.
Quoting Nee Soon GRC’s Lee Bee Wah, who illustrates the
benefits of the new CHAS clearly in her monthly message to the residents,
“This is
essentially achieved by the implementation of a two-tier eligibility criterion.
Households with a per capita monthly income of $1500 and less but more than
$900 will receive subsidies on select dental procedures and chronic disease
management. Households with a per capita monthly income of $900 and less and an
annual household value of $13,000 or less will enjoy the above-mentioned with
an added subsidy on common illnesses like coughs and colds.
This means
that even a family with a gross monthly income of $8000 for example, consisting
of a working couple, two elderly parents and two children would be eligible for
subsidies under CHAS since the monthly income per head is less than $1500.”
This is a really helpful scheme as it helps reduce travel
time and waiting time at hospitals and polyclinics. In addition, patients who
are too unwell to go all the way to the polyclinic will find this a godsend as
they can simply go to the nearest clinic for equally affordable treatment.
Unfortunately, many people who are eligible for this scheme are not aware or
only vaguely aware of it.
http://www.chas.sg/clinicsdirectory_gp.aspx
is a comprehensive list of clinics that support this scheme and the list is
really huge. I was surprised to see my nearest dental clinic and GP (which are not
part of any of those fancy chains of family clinics and somewhat obscure) on
the list and I have since made Dad and Mum sign up for it.
Applying is easy. Just download the form from http://www.chas.sg/page_patients.aspx?id=157 or get a hardcopy from any
Written by: Ng Mei Yi
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