Singaporeans will face higher health insurance premiums from April 2025 as the government implements changes to the MediShield Life scheme.

The announced revisions on Tuesday (15 Oct) are part of an effort to enhance coverage and protect citizens from large medical bills, following recommendations from the MediShield Life Council after its 2024 review.

The government has accepted these recommendations, which aim to address the rising cost of healthcare and provide support for new types of care and treatments.

Premiums could increase by as much as 35%, with hikes being phased over three years, from April 2025 to March 2028.

By the end of this period, the average increase per policyholder is expected to be around 22%. A one-off S$600 million release from the MediShield Life Fund will be used to cap the premium increase at 35%, and the increases will be phased evenly.

Key MediShield Life Enhancements

The higher premiums will fund several improvements to the scheme. Among the most notable changes is an increase in the policy year claim limit from S$150,000 to S$200,000.

This adjustment provides greater assurance for patients with exceptionally large bills, particularly those requiring extended hospital stays. Additionally, daily claim limits for inpatient treatments will be raised.

For example, the claim limit for the first two days of a hospital stay will increase from S$1,000 to S$1,630, while limits for Intensive Care Unit (ICU) stays will more than double, rising from S$2,200 to S$5,140.

Outpatient care is also a focus of the reforms. The claim limits for treatments such as kidney dialysis will rise from S$1,100 to S$1,750 per month. In addition, new outpatient treatments, including home-based care and therapies such as repetitive Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation for depression, will be covered.

A new outpatient deductible of S$500 per year will be introduced on 1 January 2026, and co-insurance rates for outpatient treatments will shift from a flat 10% to a tiered structure ranging from 3% to 10%, depending on the size of the bill.

These changes aim to keep coverage focused on larger, more expensive bills, helping to moderate the extent of premium growth.

Expanded Coverage for High-Cost Treatments

MediShield Life will also begin covering high-cost treatments that are both clinically effective and cost-effective. This includes Cell, Tissue, and Gene Therapy Products (CTGTPs) for the treatment of cancers and other serious conditions.

Starting in October 2025, the government will extend MediShield Life and MediSave coverage to CTGTPs on the Ministry of Health’s approved list. The coverage limits will be sized to fully support two-thirds of subsidised patients, helping to make these cutting-edge therapies more accessible.

In addition, high-cost drugs for blood conditions and childhood-onset diseases will now be covered under the scheme. This expansion aims to improve affordability for Singaporeans needing expensive, life-saving treatments.

Premium Adjustments and Support Measures

The total premium increases over the next review cycle of three years will amount to S$1.8 billion, largely driven by the higher claims limits and expanded coverage. Older Singaporeans will experience larger premium increases, with adjustments reflecting the growing costs of healthcare.

To mitigate the impact of these increases, the government will provide an additional S$4.1 billion in support over the next three years. This support package includes S$3.4 billion in MediSave top-ups and S$700 million in premium subsidies. For the vast majority of Singaporeans—more than nine in ten—the combination of these top-ups and subsidies will more than offset the premium increases.

Premium subsidies will be enhanced by five to ten percentage points for lower- and middle-income Singaporeans in older age groups, allowing them to receive subsidies of up to 60%, up from the current cap of 50%.

The government will also provide MediSave top-ups for various groups, including an increase of S$300 in annual top-ups for the Pioneer Generation, bringing the maximum annual top-up to S$1,200.

Other one-time bonuses and top-ups will be provided as part of the Majulah Package. Singaporeans born in 1973 or earlier will receive a S$1,500 MediSave Bonus in December 2024, which has been enhanced by S$500.

Similarly, seniors from the Merdeka Generation and younger will receive an additional S$500 MediSave Bonus in 2025, aimed at helping those with lower balances cover rising premiums. For newborns, the MediSave grant will increase from S$4,000 to S$5,000 from April 2025, ensuring their premiums are fully covered until age 21.

Healthier SG: Incentives for Leading a Healthy Lifestyle

In support of the Healthier SG initiative, policyholders aged 40 and above will be able to redeem MediShield Life premium discounts via the Health Promotion Board’s Healthy 365 app.

Participants can earn Healthpoints by engaging in healthy activities, which can then be converted into premium discounts. For instance, an individual who engages in 30 minutes of moderate physical activity daily could redeem up to S$80 in premium discounts. The programme will start in the third quarter of 2025 as a three-year pilot.

The government will review the pilot’s outcomes before deciding whether to make it a permanent feature of MediShield Life.

Adjustments to Deductibles and Withdrawal Limits

The government will also adjust MediSave withdrawal limits so that patients can use MediSave to cover both the co-insurance and the revised deductibles.

This adjustment will help to alleviate the financial burden on patients as the first phase of the inpatient deductible increase is implemented in April 2025. The outpatient deductible will take effect on 1 January 2026, with the second phase of inpatient deductible increases following in April 2027.

Looking Ahead: The Future of MediShield Life

The changes to MediShield Life are designed to restore the scheme’s original mandate of fully covering nine in ten subsidised bills in public healthcare institutions.

With the growing shift in healthcare delivery towards outpatient, community, and home settings, as well as the rising costs of medical treatments, the council’s recommendations ensure that MediShield Life remains sustainable and continues to offer meaningful protection for Singaporeans.

As noted by the MediShield Life Council, these updates are essential to keep the scheme effective in the face of rising healthcare costs and evolving medical technology.

The government has assured that no one will be denied coverage due to an inability to pay.

A significant portion of Singapore’s youth are experiencing severe mental health challenges, according to a comprehensive national survey conducted by the Institute of Mental Health (IMH).

The National Youth Mental Health Study (NYMHS), released on 19 September 2023, found that 30.6% of individuals aged 15 to 35 reported severe or extremely severe symptoms of depression, anxiety, or stress, with key risk factors including excessive social media use, body shape concerns, and experiences of cyberbullying.

The study, which surveyed 2,600 Singaporean citizens and permanent residents, highlights the growing mental health concerns among Singaporean youth and suggests the need for more targeted interventions and support systems.

Mental Health Issues Prevalent Among Youth

Anxiety was the most common mental health issue, with 27% of respondents reporting severe or extremely severe symptoms, followed by depression (14.9%) and stress (12.9%).

These findings underscore the high prevalence of mental health issues among young people, particularly in those aged 15 to 24, who were more likely to report severe symptoms compared to older participants.

According to the IMH, young people who were female, single, unemployed, or had lower levels of education or household income were more prone to severe mental health symptoms.

For example, youth with monthly household incomes below S$5,000 were more likely to experience severe anxiety​.

Key Risk Factors: Social Media, Body Image, and Cyberbullying

The study identified three major factors linked to severe mental health symptoms:

1. Excessive Social Media Use: Around 27% of respondents reported using social media for more than three hours daily, which was associated with a significantly higher likelihood of severe mental health issues. Youth with excessive social media use were 1.5 to 1.6 times more likely to experience severe symptoms of depression, anxiety, or stress​.
2. Body Shape Concerns: About 20.2% of youth had moderate to severe concerns about their body image. These individuals were 4.9 times more likely to experience severe depression, 4.3 times more likely to experience severe anxiety, and 4.5 times more likely to suffer from severe stress​. Such concerns were often linked to social media exposure, which can perpetuate unrealistic beauty standards and increase dissatisfaction with one’s body.
3. Cyberbullying: One in five youth (21%) reported being victims of cyberbullying. These individuals were approximately twice as likely to report severe mental health symptoms compared to those who had not experienced such harassment​. The anonymity and pervasive nature of online bullying exacerbates the mental health toll on young people, according to the study.

Demographics at Higher Risk

The study found that specific demographics were more vulnerable to mental health issues. Young people aged 15 to 24 were more likely to experience anxiety, depression, and stress, particularly females, those who were single, and those with lower levels of education, such as junior college or vocational qualifications​.

The Malay ethnic group was also found to have a higher prevalence of severe mental health symptoms compared to other ethnic groups​.

Barriers to Seeking Help and Sources of Support

Although about 69.1% of those with severe mental health symptoms sought help—primarily from family and friends—a significant portion of young people hesitated to seek professional support.

The top reasons included concerns about privacy, fear of judgment, and doubts about the effectiveness of professional services​.

Among those who sought help, family and friends were the most common sources of support (57.9%), followed by self-help measures (31.1%) and medical services (20.1%)​.

However, the reluctance to seek professional help highlights the need for continued efforts to destigmatize mental health treatment and increase awareness of available services.

Protective Factors: Resilience, Social Support, and Self-Esteem

The study also identified factors that helped mitigate mental health challenges. Youth who reported higher levels of resilience, perceived social support, and self-esteem were significantly less likely to experience severe symptoms of depression, anxiety, or stress.

This suggests that fostering strong support networks and building resilience in youth could play a critical role in improving their mental well-being​.

Government Response and Preventive Measures

The findings of the NYMHS support Singapore’s broader National Mental Health and Well-Being Strategy, launched in October 2023, which adopts a whole-of-government and whole-of-society approach to addressing mental health concerns. Schools have already begun integrating mental health education into their curricula, equipping students with the knowledge and skills to manage their well-being.

Additionally, the government introduced the Parenting for Wellness toolbox in September 2023 to help parents manage their children’s screen time and promote healthy social media usage.

A guide on responsible social media use, expected to be released by mid-2025, will offer further strategies to mitigate the negative impacts of excessive screen time and online harassment​.

Future Implications and Policy Development

Associate Professor Swapna Verma, chairman of IMH’s medical board and co-principal investigator of the study, emphasized the importance of early intervention.

“Not all individuals with severe or extremely severe symptoms of depression or anxiety have a clinical condition, but being in such states for a prolonged period of time can be detrimental to their well-being,” she said​.

The study’s data will help policymakers and healthcare providers develop more targeted approaches to address the mental health needs of Singapore’s youth, especially those most at risk.

Associate Professor Mythily Subramaniam, IMH’s assistant chairman of medical board (research), stressed the need to pay attention to issues like excessive social media use and cyberbullying, noting their “tremendous impact on youth mental health” and the importance of preventive measures​.

Support for Youth Facing Mental Health Challenges

Young people dealing with mental health challenges in Singapore have access to various resources:

• CHAT (Centre of Excellence for Youth Mental Health): CHAT offers a safe and confidential space for youth to seek help through online and face-to-face mental health assessments and support.
  • Visit: https://www.chat.mentalhealth.sg
• Institute of Mental Health (IMH): IMH provides a comprehensive range of mental health services, including outpatient consultations and inpatient care. Youth in crisis can also seek immediate assistance from the 24-hour Mental Health Helpline at 6389 2222.
• Samaritans of Singapore (SOS): SOS offers emotional support for those feeling distressed or experiencing suicidal thoughts. Their 24-hour hotline is 1767.
• Health Promotion Board’s National Care Hotline: This hotline provides immediate emotional support for those in need and can be reached at 1800-202-6868.
• Counselling Services: School-based counsellors, as well as community-based services such as TOUCH Youth, provide further avenues of support for young people grappling with mental health issues.