From Dec 1, 2023, patients who need surgical implants such as high-cost replacement heart valves, hearing devices, intraocular lenses for cataracts, or knee replacement implants can get higher means-tested subsidies, and not be subjected to a dollar cap.
These are among the bulk of commonly used implants in public healthcare institutions that will be included in a new Implant Subsidy List, which will kick in on the same day, said Ministry of Health (MOH) officials at a media briefing on Nov 29. They have been assessed by MOH’s Agency for Care Effectiveness (ACE) to be clinically effective and cost-effective.
MOH said lower-income patients who need high-cost implants will benefit most from the changes.
Currently, patients in B2 to C wards and day surgery settings receive subsidies for all implants, with Singapore citizens getting up to a 50 per cent subsidy, capped at $1,000. Singapore permanent residents (PRs) get up to a 25 per cent subsidy, with a cap of $500.
Because of this, manufacturers have little incentive to reduce their prices as all their implants are eligible for subsidy, MOH said.
ACE has found that there can be a big variation in the prices offered here and abroad, and prices of implants can even vary across Singapore hospitals.
The new Implant Subsidy List is similar in part to the Cancer Drug List, which was introduced in September 2022, and includes only treatments that are deemed to be clinically proven and cost-effective. That has helped to lower the cost of cancer drugs used in public healthcare institutions.
With the new list, implants are no longer automatically eligible for subsidy, and this facilitates negotiations with manufacturers for more competitive prices, MOH said.
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