Welcome news for Ma Jie
February 28, 2014 Leave a comment
Welcome news for Ma Jie
Tuesday, Feb 25, 2014
Andrea Ong
The Straits Times
SINGAPORE – Madam Wan Lau Fong came to Singapore from Guangdong province when she was just 21.
She worked for over 50 years as a ma jie – domestic helpers who stay single for life – and then as a cleaner in office buildings in Shenton Way.
With no family to support her, no MediShield, and little in the form of cash and Medisave funds, the 88-year-old had to rely on aid from medical social workers when she was hospitalised for osteoporosis two years ago and again last year for giddiness.
She therefore welcomed the news that pioneers like her will be placed on the new MediShield Life scheme to insure against large hospital bills, and of the Government’s intention to fully pay for the premiums of those aged 80 and above this year, for the rest of their lives. This will be done through annual Medisave top-ups and premium subsidies.
Madam Wan also stands to benefit from additional subsidies for pioneers at polyclinics and specialist outpatient clinics.
But she still hopes the package can be improved for the very old, with more subsidies for medication. This is because the annual Medisave top-up of $800 for pioneers aged 80 and above this year will not be enough to pay for her osteoporosis medication, which costs about $1,400 a year.
As doctors said she is too old to undergo surgery for her osteoporosis, she has to take the medicine for the rest of her life, and she has to apply for financial help regularly to pay for it. “I would be most happy if there could be more subsidies for medicine for chronic conditions. Then I won’t have to bother the social workers,” she said.
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