I HAD purchased a Plus Rider for my MediShield insurance (Enhanced Incomeshield) with NTUC Income to cover deductibles and the co-payment portion of my medical bills.

Recently, I received a pamphlet from Income notifying me that it has substituted the Plus Rider with a new Assist Rider.

As a result, I have to pay an additional premium of 33 per cent, as well as 10 per cent (capped at $2,000) for the co-payment portion of a medical bill.

Alternatively, I could retain the existing Plus Rider, but I would have to fork out an additional
premium of 84 per cent, which works out to $102 per year.

The pamphlet says that medical bills had risen by 10 to 30 per cent between 2005 and 2006.

Although no figure was given for the last year, the increase of 84 per cent in the premium for the Plus Rider was astounding.

As a cooperative, NTUC Income should adopt the practice of its former chief executive officer, Mr Tan Kin Lian, in which policyholders were given better deals compared to Income's profit-oriented competitors.

Mr Chin Kee Thou

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