Those needing intermediate or long-term care facilities and long-term care services should apply for Singapore government subsidies to help offset elderly care costs.
What are Intermediate and Long-Term Care Services (ILTC)?
Intermediate and long-term care services are typically required for persons who need further care and treatment after being discharged from hospital. Long-term care services for the elderly who may be frail and need supervision or assistance with their activities of daily living may also be necessary.
These services are provided through some long-term care facilities, such as:
• Community hospitals
• Chronic sick facilities
• Nursing homes
• Hospices
• Eldercare centres
• Home-based services such as home nursing, home medical, home help services meals-on-wheels, escort/transport services
Government Subsidies for Intermediate and Long-Term Care Services
The bills for long-term care services may accumulate for patients over extended periods of time. As such, the government provides subsidies to offset these bills.
Eligibility Criteria for Government Subsidies
Government subsidies are available only to persons who:
• Are Singapore citizens or Permanent Residents
• Meet the admission criteria of the ILTC services required
• Are receiving care from MOH-funded service providers
Means-Testing
A means-test is used to determine the amount of subsidies each applicant is eligible for. Persons from lower-income households will be granted higher subsidies under the means testing framework.
With effect from 1 July 2012, the means-test approach for MOH-funded long-term care services will be based on Household Means-Testing, which takes into consideration:
Either:
• Gross income of the person needing care, his/her spouse and all family members living in the same household; and
• Total number of family members living in the same household
Or:
• Annual value of place of residence for households with no income
Medical social workers or administrative staff of the relevant hospitals and long-term care facilities will be able to assist you with your application for government subsidies, if needed.
Subsidy Framework
Government subsidies provided are based on the six-tier subsidy framework depending on the type of ILTC service required. This is shown in Tables 1 to 3.
Table 1: Subsidies for Subsidised Wards in Community Hospitals
Household Per Capita
Monthly Income
|
Subsidy Rate*
|
|
Singapore Citizens |
Permanent Residents |
$800 and below
| 75% | 50% |
| $801 - $1,200 | 60% | 40% |
| $1,201 - $2,000 | 50% | 30% |
| $2,001 - $2,800 | 45% | 25% |
| $2,801 - $3,300 | 40% | 20% |
| $3,301 and above | 20% | 10% |
*The subsidy applies to patients in 6 or 8 bedded wards only.
Table 2: Subsidies for Residential Services (except Community Hospitals)
Household Per Capita
Monthly Income
|
Subsidy Rate |
|
Singapore Citizens |
Permanent Residents |
$800 and below
| 75% | 50% |
$801 - $1,200
| 60% | 40% |
| $1,201 - $1,900 | 50% | 30% |
| $1,901 - $2,000 | 40% | 20% |
| $2,001 - $2,800 | 20%
| 10%
|
$2,801 and above
| 0%
| 0%
|
This applies to Chronic Sick Hospitals, Inpatient Hospices, VWO Nursing Homes, Private Nursing Homes on Portable Subsidy Scheme, Ex Mentally Ill Rehabilitation Homes and Ex Mentally Ill Sheltered Homes.
Table 3: Subsidies for Home and Community-Based Services (Non-Residential Services)
Per Capita Monthly Household Income
|
Subsidy Rate |
|
Singapore Citizens |
Permanent Residents |
$800 and below
| 80% | 55% |
| $801 - $1,200 | 75% | 50% |
| $1,201 - $1,900 | 60% | 40% |
| $1,901 - $2,000 | 50% | 30% |
| $2,001 - $2,800 | 30%
| 15%
|
$2,801 and above
| 0%
| 0%
|
This includes Eldercare Centres (such as Day Rehabilitation Centres, Dementia Day Care Centres, Social Day Care Centres, Senior Care Centres), Ex-mentally ill Day Rehabilitation, and home-based services such as Hospice Home Medical, Hospice Home Nursing, Home Medical and Home Nursing, Home Help and Senior Home Care.
Table 4: Monthly Subsidies for Community Haemodialysis & Peritoneal Dialysis*
Household Per Capita
Monthly Income |
Community Haemodialysis Subsidies per month
|
Peritoneal Dialysis Subsidies per month
|
Singapore Citizens |
Permanent Residents |
Singapore Citizens |
Permanent Residents |
$800 and below
| $1,230 | $983 | $1,280 | $1,033 |
$801 - $1,200 | $862 | $689 | $912 | $739 |
$1,201 - $1,900 | $616 | $493 | $666 | $543 |
$1,901 - $2,000 | $505 | $405 | $555 | $455 |
$2,001 - $2,800 | $357 | $284 | $407 | $334 |
$2,801 and above | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
Other Assistance Schemes
Application Procedures
To apply for subsidies, please approach the staff of the Restructured Hospital or the staff of a MOH-funded ILTC service provider for help.