Singapore’s Integrated Shield Plans: Unpacking the Changes in Cancer Drug List

Cancer is a disease that affects many people and can lead to high medical expenses. To support patients, Singapore’s Integrated Shield Plans (IPs) offer coverage for cancer treatment. However, starting from 1 April 2023, there will be changes to these plans, and insurance coverage of cancer drugs not listed on the Cancer Drug List (CDL) may not be automatically included. This article aims to provide a summary of the changes in cancer cover across different IPs, which can hopefully help you make informed decisions about your health insurance.

It’s crucial to understand the MediShield Life (MSHL) Limits here because the IP coverage is based on multiples of these limits:

• Cancer Drug on CDL: $200 – $9,600 per month (depending on the category of drug)
• Cancer Drug Services: $3,600 per year
• Cancer Drug not on CDL: Not covered

Where applicable, for coverage of cancer drugs not on CDL, Raffles Shield cover drug classes A to C of LIA’s ‘Non CDL Classification Framework’, while other insurers cover drug classes A to E.

A short disclaimer here. The information here is for educational purposes and true to what I read and understand. Sometimes there could be typos, incorrect understanding or even sudden changes by insurers that are not reflected here. If you notice any of these, I would appreciate it if you could inform me and I can amend them accordingly. With this out of the way, here you can jump straight to the insurer of your choice:

• AIA HSG Max
• GE GREAT SupremeHealth
• HSBC Life Shield
• Income Enhanced IncomeShield / IncomeShield
• Prudential PRUShield
• Raffles Shield
• Singlife Shield

Cancer Drug List Changes to AIA HSG Max

AIA’s way of handling the increased coverage is by offering an additional Cancer Care Booster for HealthShield Gold (HSG) Max A customers only (doesn’t matter if you have rider or not. Differences between having riders will be on the amount of co-payment). If you have the accompanying VitalHealth A, A Value or VitalCare rider, this add-on will be automatically attached to the basic plan on your next renewal after 1 April 2023 without underwriting. If you have HSG Max A without rider, you can add this benefit without underwriting as well, subject to a time limit of 6 months from policy renewal.

If you are on HSG Max B, B Lite and C AND have their respective riders; VitalHealth B, B Lite and Essential C, a Cancer Care Benefit is automatically added to it. No further action will be required. This means if you don’t have these riders, the additional cancer coverage from Cancer Care Benefit does not apply to you.

Here’s a summary of coverage for the respective plans:

• HSG Max A, B, B Lite and C cover 5 times MSHL limits for both cancer drug and cancer drug services.
  
• HSG Standard plan covers 3 times MSHL limits for cancer drug on CDL, and 2 times MSHL limits for cancer drug services.
  
• With Cancer Cover Booster, it covers
  • 16 times MSHL limits for cancer drug on CDL,
  • 10 times MSHL limits for cancer drug services, and
  • $200,000 per year for drugs not on CDL.
    
• For the embedded Cancer Care Benefit, it covers
  • 10 times MSHL limits for cancer drug on CDL,
  • 8 times MSHL limits for cancer drug services, and
  • $50,000 per year for drugs not on CDL.

The above is subject to co-payment and this differs for plan type.

1. Cancer Care Booster without VitalHealth A, A Value and VitalCare
   • CDL treatment & Cancer Drug Service:
     • subject to 10% co-insurance for every claim, capped at $50,000 per policy year if treatment is by AIA preferred providers, pre-authorised, or due to emergency confinement.
   • Non-CDL treatment:
     • subject to 10% co-insurance for every claim, no cap for co-insurance.
       
2. Cancer Care Booster with VitalHealth A, A Value and VitalCare
   • CDL treatment & Cancer Drug Service:
     • subject to respective rider’s co-payment and co-pay cap per policy year
   • Non-CDL treatment:
     • subject to 10% co-insurance for every claim, no cap for co-insurance.
       
3. Cancer Care Benefit for VitalHealth B, B Lite and Essential C (same as point 2)

[back to top]

Cancer Drug List Changes to Great Eastern GREAT SupremeHealth (SHP)

Here is an overview of the cancer coverage for Great Eastern Life’s Great SHP. At the time of writing, the cancer coverage of the legacy SHP is still unknown. This section is for the As-charged plans only.

Here’s a summary of coverage for the respective plans:

• GREAT SupremeHealth (SHP) P Plus, A Plus and B Plus plans cover 5 times MSHL limits for both cancer drug and cancer drug services.
  
• GREAT SupremeHealth (SHP) Standard plan covers 3 times MSHL limits for cancer drug on CDL, and 2 times MSHL limits for cancer drug services.
  
• As long as you have GREAT TotalCare, regardless of plan types, it covers
  • 12 times MSHL limits for cancer drug on CDL,
  • As charged for cancer drug services, and
  • For drugs not on CDL subject to 5% co-payment, co-payment cap for this section of coverage.:
    • Classic/Elite P: $250,000 per year
    • Classic/Elite A: $200,000 per year
    • Classic/Elite B: $150,000 per year

[back to top]

Cancer Drug List Changes to HSBC Life Shield

Here’s a summary of coverage for the respective HSBC Life Shield plans:

• HSBC Life Shield Plan A and B plans cover 5 times MSHL limits for both cancer drug and cancer drug services.
  
• HSBC Life Shield Standard plan covers 3 times MSHL limits for cancer drug on CDL, and 2 times MSHL limits for cancer drug services.
  
• HSBC Enhanced Care (riders) for Plan A and B covers the following
  • 5 times MSHL limits for cancer drug on CDL,
  • No additional benefits for cancer drug services, and
  • $30,000 per month for drugs not on CDL. There is no co-payment cap for this section of coverage.
    
• HSBC Enhanced Care for Standard Plan does not cover additional for cancer drug on CDL and cancer drug services. It does provide coverage of $5,000 per month for drugs not on CDL. There is no co-payment cap for this section of coverage.

[back to top]

Cancer Drug List Changes to Income’s IncomeShield & Enhanced IncomeShield

Income’s way of handling cancer cover is more straightforward apart from the fact that different plan types have different coverage. As they’re also one of the first few companies to launch the sub-limit IPs – IncomeShield, the changes apply to these legacy plans as well. If it looks confusing, I’d recommend looking straight at your plan type and ignore the rest.

Here’s a summary of coverage for the respective plans:

• Enhanced IncomeShield (EIS) cover from 5 times to 2 times MSHL limits for both cancer drug and cancer drug services; Preferred [5x], Advantage [4x], Basic [3x] and Enhanced C [2x]
  
• EIS Standard plan covers 3 times MSHL limits for cancer drug on CDL, and 2 times MSHL limits for cancer drug services.
  
• IncomeShield (sub-limit plan) cover from 4 times to 1 time MSHL limits for both cancer drug and cancer drug services; Plan P [4x], Plan A [3x], Plan B [2x], Plan C [1x]
  
• Deluxe Care, Plus Rider, Classic Care, Assist Rider to EIS provide staggered additional cancer coverage as follows:
  • 10 times – 4 times MSHL limits for cancer drug on CDL;
    • Preferred – 10 times
    • Advantage – 8 times
    • Basic – 6 times
    • Enhanced C – 4 times
  • no additional coverage for cancer drug services, and
  • Varied limits per month for drugs not on CDL:
    • Preferred – $15,000
    • Advantage – $7,000
    • Basic – $6,000
    • Enhanced C – $4,000
      
• Deluxe Care, Plus Rider, Classic Care, Assist Rider to Standard Plan and IncomeShield plans provide staggered additional cancer coverage as follows:
  • 8 times – 2 times MSHL limits for cancer drug on CDL;
    • Standard – 6 times
    • Plan P – 8 times
    • Plan A – 6 times
    • Plan B – 4 times
    • Plan C – 2 times
  • no additional coverage for cancer drug services, and
  • Varied limits per month for drugs not on CDL:
    • Standard – $5,200
    • Plan P – $4,000
    • Plan A – $3,800
    • Plan B – $3,500
    • Plan C – $3,200
      
• If you’re under Deluxe Care / Plus rider, the above coverage is subject to 10% co-payment with no co-pay cap. If you’re under Classic Care / Assist rider, the above coverage is subject to 20% co-payment with no co-pay cap.

[back to top]

Cancer Drug List Changes to Prudential’s PRUShield

The cancer coverage for PRUShield is more direct, and it seems that they are putting in effort to simplify matters.

Here’s a summary of coverage for the respective plans:

• PRUShield Premier and Plus plans cover 5 times MSHL limits for both cancer drug and cancer drug services.
  
• PRUShield Standard plan covers 3 times MSHL limits for cancer drug on CDL, and 2 times MSHL limits for cancer drug services.
  
• PRUShield A and B (older sub-limit) plans cover 3 times MSHL limits for cancer drug on CDL, and 3 times MSHL limits for cancer drug services. PRUShield A has a combined annual limit of $42,000, whereas PRUShield B is $36,500.
  
• As long as you have PRUShield Extra, regardless of plan types, it covers
  • 15 times MSHL limits for cancer drug on CDL,
  • 15 times MSHL limits for cancer drug services, and
  • $150,000 per year for drugs not on CDL. There is no co-payment cap for this section of coverage.

[back to top]

Cancer Drug List Changes to Raffles Shield

Raffles Shield seemingly has less cancer coverage compared to other insurers. Let’s hope they make adjustments along the way. In addition, they cover Drug classes A, B and C only.

Here’s a summary of coverage for the respective plans:

• Raffles Shield Private and A plans cover 4 times MSHL limits for both cancer drug and cancer drug services.
  
• Raffles Shield Plan B and Standard plans cover 3 times MSHL limits for cancer drug on CDL, and 2 times MSHL limits for cancer drug services.
  
• Raffles Shield has two riders that can be purchased separately or combined together. For Key Rider, it covers $5,000 per year for drugs not on CDL. There is no co-payment cap for this section.
  
• For Premier Rider, the coverage is
  • 2 times MSHL limits for cancer drug on CDL,
  • 2 times MSHL limits for cancer drug services, and
  • $20,000 per year for drugs not on CDL.

[back to top]

Cancer Drug List Changes to Singlife Shield

Here is an overview of the cancer coverage for Singlife Shield.

Here’s a summary of coverage for the respective plans:

• Singlife Shield Plan 1, 2 and 3 plans cover 5 times MSHL limits for both cancer drug and cancer drug services.
  
• Singlife Shield Standard plan covers 3 times MSHL limits for cancer drug on CDL, and 2 times MSHL limits for cancer drug services.
  
• If you have Singlife Health Plus, regardless of plan types, it does not cover additional for cancer drug on CDL and cancer drug services. For drugs not on CDL, these plans cover $30,000 per year, subject to 5% co-payment with no co-payment cap for this section of coverage.

[back to top]

Seek Professional Help

Navigating the changes to CDL and maintaining an optimal insurance portfolio can be daunting tasks. With healthcare trends constantly evolving, it’s important now more than ever to review your policies regularly with a financial planner who can help identify risks and propose independent solutions that are tailored to your needs. It’s also essential not to rely on one type of insurance plan as unforeseen circumstances may arise where certain plans do not cover specific treatments. At times like these, having a comprehensive insurance portfolio will ensure you have adequate coverage, flexibility, and minimise any potential gaps.

If you’re struggling to navigate these challenges or have any questions about managing your insurance portfolio effectively, consider reaching out to me for professional guidance. We’ll walk through your unique situation, and I can come up with personalised and help create a comprehensive strategy that meets all of your needs.

Don’t leave the future of yourself or loved ones up in the air – take action today.