FROM June 1, patients at community hospitals and day rehabilitation centres (DRCs) will benefit from higher Medisave withdrawal limits for their treatment, cutting their out-of-pocket costs.

The maximum withdrawal limit at community hospitals is now $150 per in-patient day, subject to a cap of $3,500 per calendar year.

From June 1 it will be raised to $250 a day. And the annual cap will be increased from $3,500 to $5,000.

With the implementation of an enhanced nine-tier subsidy framework and higher daily norm costs for community hospitals, it will be cheaper for patients to be right-sited from acute hospitals to community hospitals.

The Medisave withdrawal limit for DRCs will be raised from the current $20 a day to $25. The annual cap will remain unchanged at $1,500 a year.

The Ministry of Health will continue to work with providers to step up capabilities and raise the clinical standard of community-based care.

This article was first published in The Business Times.