The Ministry of Health (MOH) is extending
the payout period for IDAPE claimants from 5 to 6 years. This is
projected to cost the Government an additional amount of $10 million.
Some 3,700 Singaporeans with severe disabilities will immediately
benefit from the extension of payout period.
When ElderShield was launched in September
2002, those who (a) were 70 years and above, or (b) had pre-existing
disabilities were not insurable as their premiums would have been very
high and unaffordable.
As a one-off exercise, MOH introduced an
Interim Disability Assistance Programme for the Elderly (IDAPE) to
provide partial ElderShield-like benefits to these individuals.
IDAPE is fully funded by the Government:
those who are eligible for IDAPE benefits are not required to pay
premiums. IDAPE is means-tested as it is targeted at helping the
low-income elderly who are severely disabled.
Since scheme inception, about 7,500 elderly
Singaporeans with severe disabilities have benefited from IDAPE payouts.
The claims criteria for IDAPE are the same
as ElderShield. IDAPE claimants are those who are unable to perform at
least 3 out of the 6 Activities of Daily Living (ADLs). They receive
$100 to $150 per month depending on their monthly per capita household
income.
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