Free check ups and subsidised health screenings are key strategic initiatives of the Healthier SG initiative which kicks off today.
Singapore will be super-aged in 2026. That’s when 21% of the population will be aged 65 or older.
While this is a worrying statistic due to longer lifespans, with an increasing chunk of the population requiring medical assistance, the Healthier SG initiative aims to take on a preventive approach to keeping the population in shape.
The voluntary programme also “aims to empower individuals to become healthier and improve their quality of life” through a mix of stronger patient-doctor relationships, subsidies or enhanced MediSave usage for healthcare screenings and chronic disease medication, and access to community-led health-related activities.
Find out everything you need to know about Healthier SG below: What it entails exactly; who is eligible; how to enrol in the programme; and what to expect in the years to come.
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What is Healthier SG?
The Ministry of Health (MOH) laid out the Healthier SG healthcare reform strategy in September last year, with these pillars headlining the reform:
- Maintaining a long-term relationship between patients and participating family doctors and general practitioners
- Developing personalised health plans and working closely with health practitioners to track and achieve goals, make necessary lifestyle adjustments and arrange health screenings and vaccinations
- Working with community partners like the Agency for Integrated Care (AIC), Health Promotion Board (HPB), People’s Association (PA) and Sport Singapore (SportSG) to organise and promote regular health-related activities
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Who is eligible, and when does enrolment begin?
Enrolment for Singapore citizens and Permanent Residents into the Healthier SG programme begins today (5 July) starting with those at or above the age of 60.
The invitation to enrol will be extended to Singapore citizens and Permanent Residents aged 40 to 59 thereafter.
According to MOH, over two million Singapore residents aged 40 and over are expected to benefit from Healthier SG by end-2024.
How do I sign up for Healthier SG?
From 5 July, all eligible Singapore residents can expect to progressively receive an SMS from MOH inviting them to sign up for Healthier SG.
They can also choose their preferred Healthier SG clinic from the list of available providers on the app. To date, more than 900 clinics are participating in the programme.
Finally, they will be prompted to book an appointment for their first free health plan consultation, which will thereafter be tracked on the HealthHub app.
For a step-by-step guide to signing up for Healthier SG on the HealthHub app, check out MOH’s guide.
It is also possible to grant enrolment access to a family member, loved one or caregiver, again via the HealthHub app.
For exact details, refer to MOH’s guide on how to add someone as a caregiver and care recipient.
Silvers who have difficulty enrolling in the Healthier SG Programme can receive assistance from more than 1,000 Healthier SG ambassadors stationed at Community Centres or Clubs (CCs), as well as Joint Testing and Vaccination Centres (JTVCs) islandwide. Enrolment locations can be found here.
What benefits are available now?
Benefits for enrolment into the Healthier SG programme that are currently available include:
- A free initial health plan consultation with your preferred Healthier SG clinics, which includes a health discussion with your doctor, lifestyle recommendations and follow-ups for recommended screenings or vaccinations
- Healthpoints worth $20, disbursed through the Healthy 365 app (where points from HPB’s National Steps Challenge are also collected)
- Free annual check-ups for Singapore residents, covering three common chronic conditions like Type 2 diabetes, hypertension and high cholesterol as well as some cancers
- Fully subsidised nationally recommended screenings and vaccinations for Singapore citizens
What is next?
Benefits for the Healthier SG programme that will be rolled out soon include:
- From early 2024, Singapore residents under the Chronic Disease Management Programme (CDMP) can use their MediSave to pay for treatment without any cash co-payment. They currently have to foot 15 percent of the bill with cash.
- From early 2024, Community Health Assist Scheme (CHAS), Pioneer Generation and Merdeka Generation cardholders with high medication requirements and bills can opt for the Healthier SG Chronic Tier, providing subsidies of up to 87.5 percent on approved chronic medications (depending on income level). This will reduce the price difference for the drugs between general practitioner clinics and polyclinics.
Community partners will also be stepping up health-related activities in the following months along with the rollout of Healthier SG.
HPB, for example, plans to broaden its physical activity programming by more than 50 percent, aiming to serve 47,000 participants instead of the current 31,000.
The National Steps Challenge was also modified to nudge participants to more regularly engage in moderate- to vigorous-intensity physical activity, said MOH.
PA plans to increase outreach and programming for residents at its 108 CCs, said to range from brisk walking and gardening to martial arts like taichi and qigong.
SportSG’s active health coaches will also be available for health advice and exercise guidance.
