Living with uncertainty is never easy but living with severe disability can be even more challenging.

Severe disability refers to the inability to independently perform at least three of the six activities of daily living (ADL), which are dressing, washing, toileting, walking or moving around, feeding and transferring from a bed to chair or wheelchair and vice versa.

Severe disability can happen to anyone at any age. While ageing is the biggest risk factor for illnesses that can lead to severe disability such as dementia which is a chronic and progressive disease where the individual gradually loses cognitive ability, severe disability can also result from sudden events in life. For instance, a serious accident or a stroke could lead to paralysis. Severe disability could also be due to worsening of or complications from chronic illnesses such as diabetes, which can lead to amputations, blindness and also be a risk factor for stroke.

It may come as a surprise to some, but diabetes – and correspondingly its associated debilitating risks – is a national health concern. In a World Diabetes Day 2021 address, Minister for Health Ong Ye Kung said, “One in three individuals in Singapore is at risk of developing diabetes in their lifetime. If nothing is done, by 2050, it is estimated that about one million Singaporeans will be living with diabetes. What are the implications for these individuals? A lifetime of daily medication, injection if you are lucky, if not, blindness, amputation, kidney dialysis and premature deaths. It is debilitating and painful for the patient as well as their families.”¹

What is long-term care and how much would it cost?

Long-term care refers to providing care for someone who needs both medical care and personal care due to a severe disability. It’s often hard to predict what type of long-term care a person might need and for how long.

Most people underestimate the cost of long-term care. Among other things, you may need to pay for:

• hiring a caregiver, 
• home modifications, 
• medication, 
• dietary supplements, 
• rehabilitation, 
• aids to help in daily living such as a wheelchair, 
• and more. 

According to a Long-term Care Study² done in 2018, you may need an average of S$2,324 per month for long-term care. With medical inflation over the years, this amount might be much higher today, and be a significant financial burden on families.

How do you plan for long-term care? And how does CareShield Life fit in?

Having long-term care insurance will reduce the risk of depleting your savings and make it easier for you to access the type of care you need.

To help you prepare better for your future long-term care needs, the government launched CareShield Life – a national severe disability insurance scheme – on 1 October 2020. All Singapore citizens and permanent residents born in or after 1980 –regardless of pre-existing medical conditions and disability – were automatically enrolled into CareShield Life on 1 October 2020, or will be enrolled upon turning 30 years of age, whichever is later. For those born in 1979 or earlier and are not auto-enrolled, there are participation incentives of up to S$4,000 to help offset premiums for 10 years if you enrol for CareShield Life by 31 December 2023.   

Similar to the older ElderShield scheme, this government scheme offers a monthly payout when an individual is diagnosed with severe disability to help finance the cost of long-term care. However there are still a few differences between Eldershield and Careshield. CareShield Life vs. Eldershield: Understanding The Differences | Singlife

While ElderShield payouts are capped at S$400 per month and for a maximum of six years, CareShield Life offers higher payouts that also continue over a lifetime as long as the claimant remains severely disabled. Taking inflation into account, CareShield Life payouts start at S$600 per month in 2020 and will increase until you turn age 67, or until you make a claim, whichever is earlier. Consequently, the premium amount, which is fully payable using MediSave funds, will also increase over time. Once a claim is made, all future premiums will be waived.

An option to enhance your CareShield Life coverage for greater financial peace of mind

Given that the average cost of long-term care is more than S$2,324 per month², enhancing your CareShield Life coverage will allow you to access the appropriate long-term care you need. With a supplementary plan for your CareShield Life coverage, you can receive payouts of up to S$5,000 per month plus additional benefits that will help you cover some out-of-pocket expenses. This is on top of the basic severe disability payouts from your government scheme coverage.

Using Singlife’s supplement for CareShield Life – Singlife CareShield Standard – as an example, here’s how much level payout (i.e. the same amount every month; this is opposed to escalating payout which increases annually to better manage inflation) you may receive on a monthly basis and how much you can expect to be deducted from your MediSave account for your supplement annual premium if you wish to use MediSave for the full premium:

Table 1: Singlife CareShield Standard benefit amount and annual premium for females and males aged 31 | Singlife Singapore

Aside from the monthly payout, there are other cash benefits to help the patient and their loved ones as very often, severe disability, just like other chronic illnesses such as cancer, affects not just one individual but a whole family. The premiums above include 20% lifetime premium discount (terms and conditions apply).

Don’t wait till it’s too late

It’s important to act while you’re young and in good health as the premiums for CareShield Life supplements would vary based on your entry age and pre-existing conditions, which may limit your coverage. Therefore, the longer you wait to enrol into CareShield Life or get a supplement, the more expensive your options become, and the higher your risk of becoming uninsurable (ageing, remember?). If you’re still unsure about long-term care protection, here are the answers to the top 10 questions about CareShield Life.

It’s a common misconception that long-term care is for the elderly. While the risk for severe disability is higher in old age, it can be unpredictable and could happen to anyone at any age. There is always a risk that an unforeseen accident or a chronic health condition could bring about financial stress in a family. Planning ahead will give you and your family peace of mind that you can afford the care you need and your loved ones will not be financially burdened. This will allow you to focus on what matters most. 

^Notes

^{1. Source: Ministry of Health, Speech by Mr Ong Ye Kung, Minister for Health at World Diabetes Day 2021, accessed on 27 March 2023.}  

^{2. Source: Singlife’s Long-term Care Study 2018.}

^{This policy is underwritten by Singapore Life Ltd. ("Singlife").}

^{This is published for general information only and does not have regard to the specific investment objectives, financial situation and particular needs of any specific person. You may get a copy of Product Summary from Singapore Life Ltd. or our participating distributors' offices. You should read the Product Summary before deciding whether to purchase the product. You may wish to seek advice from a financial adviser representative before making a commitment to purchase the product. If you choose not to seek advice from a financial adviser representative, you should consider whether the product in question is suitable for you.}

^{Buying a health insurance policy that is not suitable for you may impact your ability to finance your future healthcare needs. You will need to have a basic CareShield Life (CSHL) or ElderShield (ESH) policy before purchasing Singlife CareShield Standard or Singlife CareShield Plus (“Supplements”). Supplements purchased by CSHL policyholders are regulated under the CareShield Life and Long-term Care Act. Supplements purchased by ESH policyholders before the transfer of ESH to Government administration are considered ESH Supplements, which are regulated under the Central Provident Fund (Withdrawals for ElderShield Scheme) Regulations. After the transfer, they are considered CSHL Supplements, regulated under the CareShield Life and Long-term Care Act.}

^{This is not an insurance contract. Full details of the standard terms and conditions of this policy can be found in the relevant policy contract.}

^{This advertisement has not been reviewed by the Monetary Authority of Singapore.}

^{Protected up to specified limits by SDIC.}

^{Information is accurate as at 9 September 2022.}