JUST as car owners get a discount on their insurance premiums for driving safely, perhaps people should get rebates on their medical insurance for keeping healthy.

Dr Lam Pin Min (Ang Mo Kio GRC) floated the idea yesterday when he spoke about what more could be done to help Singaporeans manage health-care costs.

This equivalent to the no-claim bonus could be one way of rewarding those who maintain a healthy lifestyle, he said.

'Whilst keeping good health can be argued to be a personal responsibility, the Government could do more in areas of prevention and early detection of chronic diseases and cancers,' he said.

Dr Lam also suggested starting an insurance scheme for unborn babies who may be suffering from congenital diseases diagnosed only at birth.

He named it 'InfantShield', and said it would provide would-be parents with peace of mind.

This article was first published in The Straits Times.