Health Insurance
Health Insurance
Introduction to CareShield Life In Singapore
CareShield Life is a long-term care insurance scheme that offers financial support and monthly cash payouts, should you become severely disabled.
One in two healthy Singaporeans at age 65 could become severely disabled in their lifetime, and may need long-term care due to a sudden disabling event, worsening of chronic conditions and diseases, or progression of age-related illnesses. While it’s important to plan for your future long-term care needs, it’s tricky as long-term care costs are uncertain. CareShield Life can ensure protection against potentially catastrophic long-term care costs, providing peace of mind.
What is CareShield Life?
CareShield Life is a long-term care insurance scheme that provides basic financial support should Singaporeans become severely disabled, especially during old age, and need personal and medical care for a prolonged duration (i.e. long-term care).
Benefits of CareShield Life
1. Lifetime coverage
You will be covered for life once you’ve completed paying all your premiums at age 67 (or 10 years after you join, whichever is later).
2. Lifetime cash payouts
Monthly cash payouts continue as long as you’re severely disabled. The payouts in cash provide you the flexibility to decide on your desired care arrangement.
3. Monthly Payouts
Monthly payouts increase annually until age 67 or when a successful claim is made, whichever is earlier. Following a successful new claim, payouts remain fixed for the duration of your severe disability.
4. Worldwide coverage
You will remain covered, be able to make a claim, and receive payouts no matter where you live in the world.
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Who is eligible for CareShield Life?
All Singapore Citizens and Permanent Residents are eligible to join, but when you can join depends on the year you were born. For Singaporeans born in 1980 or later, CareShield Life is mandatory. They are automatically covered from 1 October 2020, or when they turn 30, whichever is later, regardless of any pre-existing medical conditions and/or disability.
Meanwhile, participation is optional for Singaporeans born in 1979 or earlier, except for foreigners who become Singapore Citizens or Permanent Residents from 1 October 2020 onwards, for whom participation is mandatory unless they are severely disabled.
If you are born between 1970 and 1979, insured under ElderShield 400, and not severely disabled, you will be automatically enrolled into CareShield Life from 1 December 2021. No action is required if you wish to join CareShield Life. You will receive a CareShield Life welcome package, which provides more information on your CareShield Life coverage and personalised premiums. If you do not wish to remain on CareShield Life, you can opt-out by 31 Dec 2023.
Why do you need CareShield Life?
Singaporeans are living longer. However, this also increases the need for long-term care as the risk of disability is higher in old age. One in two healthy Singaporeans at age 65 could become severely disabled in their lifetime, and may need long-term care due to a sudden disabling event such as stroke or spinal cord injuries, the progression of illnesses as people age such as dementia, or the worsening of chronic conditions and diseases such as diabetes.
The duration for which long-term care is needed will vary from individual to individual. The median duration that Singaporeans could remain in severe disability is 4 years, and about 3 in 10 could remain in severe disability for 10 years or more. It is important that we plan early for our future long-term care needs to avoid putting an unnecessary burden on our families and caregivers. CareShield Life benefits provide protection and assurance for life should you become severely disabled.
CareShield Life VS Eldershield
| CareShield Life | Eldershield 400 | Eldershield 300 | |
| Purpose | To provide financial support for life as long as you remain severely disabled | To help pay out-of-pocket expenses for the care of the severely disabled | To help pay out-of-pocket expenses for the care of the severely disabled |
| Coverage |
|
Optional | Optional |
| Payout | $624/month in 2022, increases 2% p.a., but payouts will be locked in for as long as you remain severely disabled | $400/month | $300/month |
| Duration of payout | Lifelong | 72 months (6 years) | 60 months (5 years) |
| Premium duration | Payable till age 67 or 10 years for those who join at age 59 or older | Payable till age 65 | Payable till age 65 |
| Government subsidies | Yes, depending on the circumstances | None | None |
Premiums of CareShield Life
CareShield Life premiums are pre-funded, with premiums paid during your working years, and risk-pooled within your generation to cover your generation’s current and future claims. As such, premiums are paid from the age you join until age 67, but you remain covered for life. Premiums are waived once you make a successful claim. Those who join CareShield Life at age 59 or older will pay premiums over 10 years. This helps lower their annual premium payable to be more affordable and manageable.
From 2020 to 2025, premiums and payouts will increase by 2% per annum. Beyond that, adjustments to premiums and payouts will be recommended by an independent CareShield Life Council, in accordance with an actuarially-sound adjustment framework.
Find out about your CareShield Life premiums and applicable subsidies here using your Singpass.
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Any subsidies / support to pay the premiums?
1. MediSave
You can use your MediSave Account to pay your CareShield Life premiums. Family members (i.e., spouse, children, parents, siblings and grandchildren) can help you by paying from their MediSave or topping up your account with cash.
2. Means-tested Premium Subsidies
Depending on your financial circumstances, you may be eligible for the Means-tested Premium Subsidies.
| PCHI* $1,200 or less | PCHI* $1,201 – $2,000 | PCHI* $2,001 – $2,800 | |
| Subsidy rates for Singapore Citizens¹ | 30% | 25% | 20% |
- *Monthly per capita household income (PCHI)
- 1Subsidy rates are applicable to Singapore Citizens who live in residences with an Annual Value (AV) of $13,000 or less. Those who live in residences with an AV between $13,001 and $21,000 will receive 10 percentage points less than these subsidy rates. Those who live in residences with an AV above $21,000 or own multiple properties will not receive these subsidies. Permanent Residents receive half of the subsidy rates applicable to Singapore Citizens.
3. Transitional Subsidies
Transitional Subsidies for Singapore Citizens born in 1980 or later are given on top of Means-tested Premium Subsidies to reduce the annual premium payable. They will receive up to S$250 in the first 5 years from 2020 to 2024.
| Birth year | Year | Total Transitional Subsidy | ||||
| 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | ||
| 1994 | – | – | – | – | $30 | $30 |
| 1993 | – | – | – | $40 | $30 | $70 |
| 1992 | – | – | $50 | $40 | $30 | $120 |
| 1991 | – | $60 | $50 | $40 | $30 | $180 |
| 1980 – 1990 | $70 | $60 | $50 | $40 | $30 | $250 |
4. Participation Incentives
Participation Incentives for Singapore Citizens born 1979 or earlier who join CareShield Life by 31 Dec 2023 will be spread equally over 10 years. It will be used to offset the annual premium payable in that year.
| Birth Year | Annual Participation Incentive | Total Additional Participation Incentives for Merdeka Generation (MG) & Pioneer Generation (PG) seniors* | Total Participation Incentives over 10 years |
| 1975 – 1979 | $50 | N/A | $500 |
| 1970 – 1974 | $100 | $1,000 | |
| 1965 – 1969 | $150 | $1,500 | |
| 1960 – 1964 | $200 | $2,000 | |
| Before 1960 | $250 | $1,500 | $2,500 for non-MG and non-PG seniors |
*To check if you are part of the Pioneer Generation, click here. To check if you are part of the Merdeka Generation, click here and log in with your Singpass. If you are part of the Merdeka Generation, you can view it under the “Government Schemes” tab. If you are not part of the Merdeka Generation, you will not be able to see the “Government Schemes” tab.
5. Additional Premium Support (APS)
If you cannot afford your CareShield Life premiums even after premium subsidies, and family support, you may be eligible for Additional Premium Support.
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How to apply for CareShield Life
For Singapore Citizens born in 1979 or earlier, participation in CareShield Life is optional^. However, if you are not auto-enrolled and wish to join CareShield Life, you may access the Application to join CareShield Life e-Service with your Singpass.
- ^Except foreigners who become Singapore Citizens or Permanent Residents from 1 October 2020 onwards, for whom participation is mandatory unless they are severely disabled.
When are you eligible to claim?
You can apply to receive CareShield Life payouts, if you’re assessed by a Ministry of Health (MOH)-accredited assessor to be unable to carry out three of the six Activities of Daily Living (ADLs) listed below:
- Washing: The ability to wash in the bath or shower (including getting into and out of the bath or shower) or wash by other means.
- Dressing: The ability to put on, take off, secure, and unfasten all garments and, as appropriate, any braces, artificial limbs, or other surgical or medical appliances.
- Feeding: The ability to feed oneself food after it has been prepared and made available.
- Toileting: The ability to use the toilet or manage bowel and bladder function through the use of protective undergarments, such as diapers or surgical appliances, if appropriate.
- Mobility: The ability to move indoors from room to room on level surfaces.
- Transferring: The ability to move from a bed to an upright chair or wheelchair, and vice versa.
You are not eligible to receive CareShield Life payouts, if you’re assessed by a Ministry of Health (MOH)-accredited assessor to be not severely disabled.
How to claim CareShield Life?
To make a claim, you should first arrange with a MOH-accredited severe disability assessor for a disability assessment. Then, you shall submit your application by logging in to AIC’s e-Service portal (eFASS) with your Singpass.
The severe disability assessment fee is $100 for a clinical assessment, and $250 for a house call. The fee is waived if it is your first assessment for CareShield Life. If this is not your first assessment, the assessor will collect an assessment fee from you. The full fee will be reimbursed if you are assessed to be severely disabled, and will be reimbursed with the first payout.
FAQs about CareShield Life
1. Is CareShield Life compulsory?
If you are a Singapore Citizen or Permanent Resident born in 1980 or later, you will automatically join CareShield Life on 1 October 2020 or when you turn 30, even if you have any pre-existing conditions or disabilities.
If you are a Singapore Citizen or Permanent Resident born between 1970 and 1979, you will be automatically enrolled in CareShield Life from 1 December 2021, if you are currently covered under the ElderShield 400 (ESH400) scheme and
are not severely disabled at the point of auto-enrolment. However, you can opt-out of CareShield Life by 31 December 2023 if you do not wish to join the scheme and you will automatically be placed back onto your ESH400 scheme.
Those who are not auto-enrolled can choose to join CareShield Life. If you are an ElderShield insured in this group, you will have a 60-day free-look period from the commencement of your CareShield Life coverage to consider your decision. If you choose to opt-out, you will be given a full premium refund and automatically placed back onto your original ElderShield 300/400 scheme.
You will not be able to opt out from the scheme after the applicable opt-out/free-look periods.
2. How can I pay CareShield Life premiums?
You can fully pay your annual premiums using your MediSave, or a family member’s. The government also provides significant subsidies and support to keep premiums affordable and ensure that everyone can remain covered.
3. Can I pay for my family members?
You can pay the CareShield Life premiums for your family members (i.e. spouse, parents, children, siblings or grandparents) using your MediSave. To do so, you can visit the Change Premium Payer e-Service and log in using Singpass to complete the application. Alternatively, you/your family member may top up your or his/her MediSave via CPF e-Cashier (select “Contribute to My MediSave”).
4. Any hotline to call when I have questions?
You can call the Healthcare Hotline at 1800-222-3399. The operating hours are from Monday to Friday (excluding public holidays), 8.30am to 5.30pm. Alternatively, you can also write to them.
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The above information was provided by Bowtie Team. It is for reference only. In no event shall Bowtie be liable to you or to any other party for any loss or damage whatsoever or howsoever caused directly or indirectly in connection with your access to or use of the content thereon.
