{"id":33788,"date":"2026-03-05T20:26:36","date_gmt":"2026-03-05T12:26:36","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sgbuzz.com\/?p=33788"},"modified":"2026-03-05T20:26:36","modified_gmt":"2026-03-05T12:26:36","slug":"ai-and-genetic-screening-flexible-use-of-medisave-to-help-super-aged-spore-stay-healthy","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sgbuzz.com\/?p=33788","title":{"rendered":"AI and genetic screening, flexible use of MediSave to help super-aged S\u2019pore stay healthy"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><br \/>\n<\/p>\n<div>\n<p class=\"font-body-baseline-regular text-primary\" data-testid=\"article-paragraph-annotation-test-id\">SINGAPORE &#8211;<!-- --> With Singapore becoming a super-aged nation, helping people stay healthy is more critical than ever. <\/p>\n<p class=\"font-body-baseline-regular text-primary\" data-testid=\"article-paragraph-annotation-test-id\">So the nation is raising the bar in preventive medicine. <\/p>\n<p class=\"font-body-baseline-regular text-primary\" data-testid=\"article-paragraph-annotation-test-id\">Health Minister Ong Ye Kung brought up three new initiatives to support the changes in healthcare as Singapore readies itself for the future: the use of artificial intelligence in strengthening healthcare delivery; genetic testing for preventive care; and making Medisave flexible to help patients better meet their chronic and preventive care needs.<\/p>\n<p class=\"font-body-baseline-regular text-primary\" data-testid=\"article-paragraph-annotation-test-id\">\u201cAgeing does not arrive with a bang. Neither is it a whimper. It progresses quietly, with a real and profound impact,\u201d he said. <!-- -->As of 2026, 21per cent or more of Singapore\u2019s population is aged 65 and above.<\/p>\n<p class=\"font-body-baseline-regular text-primary\" data-testid=\"article-paragraph-annotation-test-id\">Speaking at the debate on his ministry\u2019s budget on March 5, Mr Ong, who is also Coordinating Minister for Social Policies, said that Singapore had acted early, having foreseen this demographic transition years ago.<\/p>\n<p class=\"font-body-baseline-regular text-primary\" data-testid=\"article-paragraph-annotation-test-id\">It did so by <a href=\"https:\/\/www.straitstimes.com\/singapore\/politics\/strong-finances-give-spore-a-strategic-advantage-in-an-uncertain-world-pm-wong?ref=inline-article\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" class=\"gap-x-04 items-center inline text-primary-60 select-auto\" aria-label=\"link\" target=\"_blank\" data-testid=\"custom-link\"><\/p>\n<p class=\"font-body-baseline-regular inline\" data-testid=\"paragraph-test-id\">raising GST to strengthen fiscal position;<\/p>\n<p><\/a> increasing retirement and re-employment ages; building more age-friendly streets and two-room flexi flats; and bolstering financial security for seniors through Silver Support, CPF Life and MediShield Life. <\/p>\n<p class=\"font-body-baseline-regular text-primary\" data-testid=\"article-paragraph-annotation-test-id\">He assured members of the House that preventive care and population health remain the \u201coverarching strategic thrust of what we are doing\u201d, anchored by Healthier SG and Age Well SG. <\/p>\n<p class=\"font-body-baseline-regular text-primary\" data-testid=\"article-paragraph-annotation-test-id\">As with other sectors, MOH also has plans to deploy AI. But Mr Ong said when it comes to healthcare, it should be AI-enhanced, not AI-decided and clinicians should remain in the loop, with healthcare remaining a profoundly human endeavour. <\/p>\n<p class=\"font-body-baseline-regular text-primary\" data-testid=\"article-paragraph-annotation-test-id\">\u201cWe take a practical, use case-driven approach. AI should not be a solution looking for a problem. We deploy AI only where it demonstrably improves patient outcomes or the delivery of care, and does so cost-effectively,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n<p class=\"font-body-baseline-regular text-primary\" data-testid=\"article-paragraph-annotation-test-id\">One such use is for strengthening health screening. <\/p>\n<p class=\"font-body-baseline-regular text-primary\" data-testid=\"article-paragraph-annotation-test-id\">Like many other countries, Singapore has developed an AI model to predict if a well person is likely to develop severe diseases in future by reviewing his current health status.<\/p>\n<p class=\"font-body-baseline-regular text-primary\" data-testid=\"article-paragraph-annotation-test-id\">The Assisted Chronic Disease Explanation using AI, or ACE-AI tool<!-- -->, developed by national healthtech agency Synapxe,<!-- --> will standardise the way primary care providers identify individuals with high risk of developing diabetes or high cholesterol within the next three years, Mr Ong<!-- --> <!-- -->said.<\/p>\n<p class=\"font-body-baseline-regular text-primary\" data-testid=\"article-paragraph-annotation-test-id\">Those flagged as high risk by the tool to have more than a 75 per cent chance of being diagnosed with diabetes and\/or hyperlipidaemia (high cholesterol) within the next three years will undergo <!-- -->annual cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk screening, stepped up from every three years<!-- -->.<\/p>\n<p class=\"font-body-baseline-regular text-primary\" data-testid=\"article-paragraph-annotation-test-id\">\u201cThis AI risk assessment tool will be rolled out to doctors for all Healthier SG enrolees from early 2027. If the tool flags a patient as high risk, the doctor may recommend more significant lifestyle adjustments and annual instead of three-yearly screenings,\u201d Mr Ong said.<!-- --> <!-- -->The additional screenings will continue to be subsidised under Healthier SG, he added.<\/p>\n<p class=\"font-body-baseline-regular text-primary\" data-testid=\"article-paragraph-annotation-test-id\">As at <!-- -->February<!-- -->, there are about 1,100 Healthier SG clinics.<\/p>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"AI model to predict if a well person is likely to develop severe diseases in future\" width=\"500\" height=\"281\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/HQ3j6d8te20?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/p>\n<p class=\"font-body-baseline-regular text-primary\" data-testid=\"article-paragraph-annotation-test-id\">It is estimated that one in 150 individuals carry a mutation in genes <!-- -->such as BRCA1 or 2 <!-- -->that are associated with hereditary breast and ovarian cancer (HBOC). Such<!-- --> <!-- -->a mutation substantially increases a woman\u2019s lifetime risk of developing breast and ovarian cancer.<\/p>\n<p class=\"font-body-baseline-regular text-primary\" data-testid=\"article-paragraph-annotation-test-id\">To enhance preventive care measures to support better health outcomes for Singaporeans, MOH is extending subsidised genetic testing to HBOC from <!-- -->December<!-- -->. <\/p>\n<p class=\"font-body-baseline-regular text-primary\" data-testid=\"article-paragraph-annotation-test-id\">Women with the hereditary condition face a<a href=\"https:\/\/www.straitstimes.com\/singapore\/breast-ovarian-cancers-dna-test-regular-screening-reduce-mortality-in-women-with-gene-mutations?ref=inline-article\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" class=\"gap-x-04 items-center inline text-primary-60 select-auto\" aria-label=\"link\" target=\"_blank\" data-testid=\"custom-link\"><\/p>\n<p class=\"font-body-baseline-regular inline\" data-testid=\"paragraph-test-id\"> lifetime risk of up to about 60 per cent for breast cancer and up to about 50 per cent for ovarian cancer,<\/p>\n<p><\/a> compared with up to 13 per cent and up to 2 per cent respectively in the general female population.   <\/p>\n<p class=\"font-body-baseline-regular text-primary\" data-testid=\"article-paragraph-annotation-test-id\">Mr Ong said these women will undergo genetic counselling before and after the test.<\/p>\n<p class=\"font-body-baseline-regular text-primary\" data-testid=\"article-paragraph-annotation-test-id\">\u201cIf they test positive, we will also offer the test to their immediate family members. We expect over 2,000 individuals to be eligible for the test annually,\u201d he added.<\/p>\n<p class=\"font-body-baseline-regular text-primary\" data-testid=\"article-paragraph-annotation-test-id\">Up to 70 per cent of the costs of specific, approved genetic tests will be subsidised for eligible Singapore citizens and permanent residents, who can also tap on their MediSave to offset the<b> <\/b>remaining cost.<\/p>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Singapore to have subsidised genetic testing to manage hereditary breast, ovarian cancers\" width=\"500\" height=\"281\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/eYW6JI-fJjE?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/p>\n<p class=\"font-body-baseline-regular text-primary\" data-testid=\"article-paragraph-annotation-test-id\">At present, when a woman is identified to have hereditary mutation(s) in HBOC-associated genes through genetic testing, she is recommended for more frequent mammograms for those at risk for hereditary breast cancer or other risk-reducing measures such as <!-- -->surgery<!-- -->. <\/p>\n<p class=\"font-body-baseline-regular text-primary\" data-testid=\"article-paragraph-annotation-test-id\">Doctors will also recommend that family members also undergo the same genetic test so that they also benefit from early intervention if<!-- --> <!-- -->they test positive. <\/p>\n<p class=\"font-body-baseline-regular text-primary\" data-testid=\"article-paragraph-annotation-test-id\">Since preventive intervention for high-risk individuals is being viewed increasingly as medically necessary to prevent more intensive treatment, financing coverage for risk-reducing surgeries will also be strengthened.<\/p>\n<p class=\"font-body-baseline-regular text-primary\" data-testid=\"article-paragraph-annotation-test-id\">Mr Ong said while he has come across women in Singapore who chose to undergo preventive mastectomy to reduce their risk of breast cancer, they lamented that they cannot claim insurance for such surgeries.<\/p>\n<p class=\"font-body-baseline-regular text-primary\" data-testid=\"article-paragraph-annotation-test-id\">This issue was brought up by Dr Hamid Razak (West Coast-Jurong West GRC) and Workers\u2019 Party chair Sylvia Lim (Aljunied GRC) during the debate.<\/p>\n<p class=\"font-body-baseline-regular text-primary\" data-testid=\"article-paragraph-annotation-test-id\">Mr Ong added that MediShield Life generally does not cover prevention to keep the coverage focused and premiums affordable, and private insurance takes its cue from MediShield Life.<\/p>\n<p class=\"font-body-baseline-regular text-primary\" data-testid=\"article-paragraph-annotation-test-id\">But if a high-risk individual is unable to undergo preventive mastectomy, she has a high chance of eventually needing cancer treatments, including a curative mastectomy to remove cancerous tissue in her breast, pushing expenses up, he said.<\/p>\n<p class=\"font-body-baseline-regular text-primary\" data-testid=\"article-paragraph-annotation-test-id\">\u201cWe will therefore extend MediShield Life and MediSave to cover preventive surgeries for HBOC later this year. I should add that breast reconstruction is also covered, no different from today. This will better support women in harnessing advancements in genomics to take better care of their health,\u201d he told The House.   <\/p>\n<p class=\"font-body-baseline-regular text-primary\" data-testid=\"article-paragraph-annotation-test-id\">MOH is working towards implementing MediShield Life coverage for risk-reducing mastectomy by the third quarter of 2026 and for risk-reducing removal of both the fallopian tubes and ovaries by the fourth quarter for <!-- -->patients who test positive for HBOC<!-- -->.<\/p>\n<p class=\"font-body-baseline-regular text-primary\" data-testid=\"article-paragraph-annotation-test-id\">Coverage will be extended to surgeries with a clear clinical need and minimal risk of abuse, and which are suitable for risk-pooling through insurance and do not financially burden the MediShield Life scheme.<\/p>\n<p class=\"font-body-baseline-regular text-primary\" data-testid=\"article-paragraph-annotation-test-id\">\u201cThis is a meaningful policy change ahead of International Women\u2019s Day on March 8,\u201d he added. <\/p>\n<p class=\"font-body-baseline-regular text-primary\" data-testid=\"article-paragraph-annotation-test-id\">The third initiative Mr Ong said is to inject more flexibility in the use of MediSave, to encourage early intervention and reduce downstream complications.<\/p>\n<p class=\"font-body-baseline-regular text-primary\" data-testid=\"article-paragraph-annotation-test-id\">\u201cTo provide more support for preventive and chronic care in the community, we will raise the MediSave limits from $500\/$700 to $700\/$1,000. This will benefit over 910,000 patients who currently tap on the scheme, roughly 20 per cent of whom have annual bills exceeding the current limits,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n<p class=\"font-body-baseline-regular text-primary\" data-testid=\"article-paragraph-annotation-test-id\">The MediSave 500\/700 scheme will be enhanced from January 2027, with its name changed to MediSave Chronic and Preventive Care scheme to better reflect its new purpose to support chronic disease management and preventive care. <\/p>\n<p class=\"font-body-baseline-regular text-primary\" data-testid=\"article-paragraph-annotation-test-id\">Mr Ong said Workers\u2019 Party MP Jamus Lim (Sengkang GRC) was right to describe medical expenses as \u201clumpy\u201d when it comes to the existing MediSave withdrawals, with large sums to be paid towards the end.<\/p>\n<p class=\"font-body-baseline-regular text-primary\" data-testid=\"article-paragraph-annotation-test-id\">But it will be less so with this new design. He said after the subsidies, MediShield Life and MediSave, nine in 10 Singaporeans will be paying less than $500 out of pocket for their subsidised inpatient bills. <\/p>\n<p class=\"font-body-baseline-regular text-primary\" data-testid=\"article-paragraph-annotation-test-id\">According to an MOH spokesman, out of these 915,000 patients, about 20 per cent had post-subsidy bills for chronic and\/or preventive care that exceeded their withdrawal limit and around 95 per cent made a MediSave withdrawal under Chronic Disease Management Programme (CDMP). <\/p>\n<p class=\"font-body-baseline-regular text-primary\" data-testid=\"article-paragraph-annotation-test-id\">The remaining had utilised MediSave for preventive care only.<\/p>\n<p class=\"font-body-baseline-regular text-primary\" data-testid=\"article-paragraph-annotation-test-id\">Among chronic patients who tapped on MediSave 500\/700, around 80 per cent had complex chronic conditions and were eligible to withdraw up to $700 a year.<\/p>\n<p class=\"font-body-baseline-regular text-primary\" data-testid=\"article-paragraph-annotation-test-id\">These are patients who received treatment for either two or more CDMP conditions in a visit; or for at least one CDMP condition with a recognised complication.<\/p>\n<p class=\"font-body-baseline-regular text-primary\" data-testid=\"article-paragraph-annotation-test-id\">The CDMP, which currently covers 23 major chronic conditions, including diabetes mellitus, hypertension, lipid disorders, stroke, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease<!-- --> (a progressive, irreversible, and inflammatory lung disease that causes obstructed airflow, leading to severe breathing difficulties)<!-- -->, will also be expanded to cover thyroid disorders.<\/p>\n<p class=\"font-body-baseline-regular text-primary\" data-testid=\"article-paragraph-annotation-test-id\">Patients diagnosed with hyperthyroidism and hypothyroidism will be able to benefit from the enhanced MediSave Chronic and Preventive limit as well as receive CHAS subsidies for their ongoing treatment and management under CDMP. <\/p>\n<p class=\"font-body-baseline-regular text-primary\" data-testid=\"article-paragraph-annotation-test-id\">This is expected to benefit more than 53,000 patients with thyroid disorders who will be able to use MediSave to pay for their outpatient treatment as well as selected vaccinations and preventive tests at polyclinics, MediSave-accredited general practitioner (GP) clinics and specialist outpatient clinics.<\/p>\n<p class=\"font-body-baseline-regular text-primary\" data-testid=\"article-paragraph-annotation-test-id\">MOH is also looking at including other chronic conditions, such as eczema, in the CDMP, and will provide an update when it is ready.<\/p>\n<p class=\"font-body-baseline-regular text-primary\" data-testid=\"article-paragraph-annotation-test-id\">Mr Ong said the Government health budget is about 2.7 per cent of GDP in 2026, and it is expected to rise to around 3.5 per cent by 2030.<\/p>\n<p class=\"font-body-baseline-regular text-primary\" data-testid=\"article-paragraph-annotation-test-id\">\u201cThis 0.8 percentage point increase is very significant \u2013 it means increasing the Government\u2019s health budget from about $22.5 billion this year to over $30 billion in 2030,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n<p class=\"font-body-baseline-regular text-primary\" data-testid=\"article-paragraph-annotation-test-id\">In closing, he said Singapore need not fear being a super-aged society. <\/p>\n<p class=\"font-body-baseline-regular text-primary\" data-testid=\"article-paragraph-annotation-test-id\">\u201cWe can embrace it and make the best of it. Ultimately, it is not the percentage of Singaporeans above 65 that defines us\u2026 What matters is that Singaporeans are not just living for longer; we will strive to enable Singaporeans to live healthier for longer. We are not just a super-aged society; we will do whatever we can, to build a super-healthy Singapore.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"font-body-baseline-regular text-primary\" data-testid=\"article-paragraph-annotation-test-id\"><b>Correction note:<\/b> This story has been updated following a clarification from MOH with regard to the percentage risk for ovarian cancer in the general population. <\/p>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Singaporeans are an outlier in spending below 5% of GDP on healthcare: Ong Ye Kung\" width=\"500\" height=\"281\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/DHjjLXI5O8U?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p><br \/>\n<br \/><a href=\"https:\/\/www.straitstimes.com\/singapore\/politics\/ai-genetic-screening-and-flexible-financing-to-bolster-preventive-medicine-for-super-aged-spore-ong\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Read Full Article At Source <\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>SINGAPORE &#8211; With Singapore becoming a super-aged nation, helping people stay healthy is more critical than ever. So the nation is raising the bar in&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":33792,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"fifu_image_url":"","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[2611],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-33788","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-buzz-headlines","wpcat-2611-id"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/sgbuzz.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/33788","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/sgbuzz.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/sgbuzz.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sgbuzz.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sgbuzz.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=33788"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/sgbuzz.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/33788\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sgbuzz.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/33792"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/sgbuzz.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=33788"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sgbuzz.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=33788"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sgbuzz.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=33788"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}