Forum: Price not the only factor when choosing Integrated Shield Plan

I read the article on different Integrated Shield Plans (IPs) charging varying premiums with interest (Integrated Shield Plan lifetime premiums vary widely across insurers, July 1).

But we ought to be aware that the price of the plan is not the only issue to consider when buying an IP product.

The Singapore Medical Association, the largest association of medical doctors in Singapore, has been conducting surveys on private specialists’ experience and opinions on different IPs since 2021.

Five items, including inclusiveness of panel doctors, ease and timeliness of the pre-authorisation process, transparency of selection of panel doctors, and obstacles in preventing their IP clients from continuing care when patients’ doctors are excluded from the panel, were assessed.

The 2022 survey showed that plans with the lowest premiums might also be ranked lowly.

There is no point paying a low premium for an IP plan if a patient cannot get good care when he falls sick.

I urge other stakeholders, such as the Ministry of Health, Consumers Association of Singapore, and the Life Insurance Association Singapore, to conduct similar surveys on patients’ experiences and perceptions of the standard of care of different IP providers.

Desmond Wai (Dr)