CareShield Life and Long-Term Care Act 2019

Sections (66)

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• § 1 — Short title

  1. This Act is the CareShield Life and Long-Term Care Act 2019.

• § 10 — Non-application of sections 116, 117, 118 and 119 of Insurance Act 1966

  10. Sections 116, 117, 118 and 119 of the Insurance Act 1966 do not apply to, or in relation to, the transfer or proposed transfer of the former ElderShield Scheme to the Government mentioned in section 8.

• § 11 — End of insurance cover under former ElderShield Scheme and establishment of ElderShield Scheme

  11.—(1) As from the transfer date —(a) insurance cover under the former ElderShield Scheme ends; and (b) the ElderShield Scheme or ESH Scheme is established and applies to every individual whose birthday is before 1 January 1980 and who —(i) immediately before the transfer date, was insured, or tre

• § 12 — CSHL Scheme and ESH Scheme benefits

  12.—(1) This section applies to, and in relation to, the CSHL Scheme and ESH Scheme.(2) Subject to subsection (3), an insured person is entitled to one or more payments of an insured sum of an amount prescribed where —(a) the insured person is severely disabled; and (b) a claim made by or on behalf

• § 13 — Nature of rights and benefits under CSHL Scheme and ESH Scheme

  13.—(1) The rights and benefits of an insured person arising from his or her insurance cover under the CSHL Scheme or ESH Scheme are not assignable or transferable.(2) A policy of insurance issued under the CSHL Scheme or ESH Scheme does not create any legal or equitable trust. (3) Section 73 of th

• § 14 — Premium

  14.—(1) The premium for each insurance period (called in this section a relevant insurance period) is payable by or on behalf of an insured person until the insured person’s obligation to pay premiums under the CSHL Scheme or ESH Scheme (as the case may be) ends in accordance with the regulations.(2

• § 15 — Refund of premium

  15.—(1) Where the whole or any part of the premium paid by or on behalf of an insured person is liable to be refunded under this Act, the amount may be refunded —(a) to the insured person in such manner as the Board may determine, including by paying into the insured person’s account in the Central

• § 16 — Claim

  16.—(1) Despite any provision in the Mental Capacity Act 2008, an insured person may receive benefits under the CSHL Scheme or ESH Scheme if any of the following persons makes a claim in accordance with subsection (2) and the Administrator accepts the claim:(a) in the case where the insured person l

• § 17 — Disability assessment

  17.—(1) The Minister may, subject to such conditions as the Minister may impose, approve one or more individuals having the necessary qualifications to be assessors to conduct, and report on, disability assessments under this Act.(2) An assessor may charge a fee, not exceeding such amount as may be

• § 18 — Payment of insured sum

  18.—(1) Subject to the provisions of this section, where a claim is accepted by the Administrator under section 16, the Board may pay an insured sum under the CSHL Scheme or ESH Scheme (as the case may be) to the following persons:(a) for a claim mentioned in section 16(1)(a) —(i) the insured person

• § 19 — Deferment or suspension of payment

  19.—(1) The Board may defer or suspend, for such period or further period as the Board may determine, the payment of an insured sum under section 18 in the circumstances prescribed.(2) At the end of every period or further period of deferment or suspension (as the case may be) mentioned in subsectio

• § 2 — General interpretation

  2.—(1) In this Act, unless the context otherwise requires —“Administrator” —(a) in relation to the CSHL Scheme, means the person appointed under section 5(3); or (b) in relation to the ESH Scheme, means the person appointed under section 11(3); “assessor” means an assessor approved by the Minister

• § 20 — Protection of payouts

  20.—(1) Despite any other written law, all benefits (including goodwill sums) that are paid to an insured person, or for the benefit of an insured person, under the CSHL Scheme or ESH Scheme —(a) are not assignable or transferable, and not liable to be attached, sequestered or levied upon for or in

• § 21 — Periodic disability review

  21.—(1) The Administrator may, from time to time, conduct a disability review in respect of an insured person receiving an insured sum under the CSHL Scheme or ESH Scheme, or for whose benefit an insured sum is being paid under the CSHL Scheme or ESH Scheme.(2) For the purposes of a disability revie

• § 22 — Recovery of benefit paid in excess and short payment of premium

  22.—(1) If, on account of any material change to the information available to the Board or the correction of any error relating to an insured person or in other prescribed circumstances (if prescribed), the Board finds that any premium paid in respect of any insurance period by or for any person ins

• § 23 — Demand note for outstanding premiums under CSHL Scheme

  23.—(1) If the whole or any part of the premium payable for an insurance period under the CSHL Scheme remains unpaid at the expiry of such period as the Board may permit (being at least one month) after the beginning of that insurance period —(a) interest may be imposed from time to time on any outs

• § 24 — Defaulter’s agent for recovery of outstanding premiums under CSHL Scheme

  24.—(1) A recovery body may, if it considers necessary, by written notice declare any person (other than the Government) to be a defaulter’s agent.(2) The person declared to be the defaulter’s agent under subsection (1) is regarded as the agent of the defaulter for the purposes of this Act, and may

• § 25 — Defaulter’s agent in relation to joint moneys

  25.—(1) This section applies where the moneys mentioned in section 24(2) are moneys in a joint account of which the defaulter is a joint account holder, or are the proceeds of sale of any immovable property of which the defaulter was a joint owner.(2) The defaulter’s agent must —(a) within 14 days a

• § 26 — Payment by Government

  26.—(1) Where —(a) any outstanding premium under the CSHL Scheme is due from any person under this Act other than as a defaulter’s agent under section 24 or 25; (b) an amount is or would be payable by the Government to the person by or under any written law, contract or scheme —(i) on, or within 90

• § 27 — Suit for outstanding premiums, excess payments and sums due to Fund

  27.—(1) All outstanding premiums imposed under this Act, all excess payments under the CSHL Scheme and ESH Scheme, and all sums due to the Fund, may be sued for and recovered by a recovery body in its own name by way of specially endorsed originating claim.[Act 25 of 2021 wef 01/04/2022] (2) A recov

• § 28 — Recovery from defaulter leaving Singapore

  28.—(1) Where a recovery body is of the opinion that any defaulter is about or likely to leave Singapore without paying all outstanding premiums payable under the CSHL Scheme by the defaulter, the recovery body may —(a) issue a certificate containing particulars of such outstanding premiums; and (b

• § 29 — Penalty for late payment of premium under CSHL Scheme

  29.—(1) Subject to subsection (3), if the whole or any part of the premium for an insurance period under the CSHL Scheme, or any interest imposed under section 23(1)(a), remains unpaid at the expiry of such period as the Board may permit (being at least one month) after the beginning of that insuran

• § 3 — Meaning of “approved payee”

  3.—(1) In this Act, unless the context otherwise requires, an “approved payee”, in relation to an insured person, means a person who is within a class of persons approved by the Minister to receive benefits under the CSHL Scheme or ESH Scheme on behalf of the insured person.(2) Different classes of

• § 30 — Recovery body

  30.—(1) The Minister may appoint one or more public authorities as recovery bodies for the purposes of this Part.(2) A recovery body may —(a) only exercise any powers under this Part which the Minister authorises the recovery body to exercise; and (b) must, in exercising those powers, comply with a

• § 31 — Health information

  31.—(1) Where the Minister certifies, under the Minister’s hand, that an authorised person requires confidential information relating to the disability of a person (called in this section a data subject) which is in the possession of a healthcare institution or a healthcare practitioner who attended

• § 32 — Confidential information

  32.—(1) Where the Minister certifies, under the Minister’s hand, that a public officer, a public authority or any other organisation or person (called in this subsection a recipient organisation) requires any particular class of confidential information about a person (called in this section a data

• § 33 — Offence and immunity relating to disclosure

  33.—(1) Subject to subsections (2), (3) and (4), a person who, knowing that any information about any other person was provided or obtained under any provision of section 31 or 32, accesses, uses or discloses the information, without the consent of that other person, shall be guilty of an offence an

• § 34 — General

  34.—(1) An approval under section 31(2)(b) or (c)(iii), 32(2)(b), (3), (4) or (6) or 33(2)(d) or a direction under section 32(1)(a) may be given on such terms and conditions, as the Minister giving the approval or direction considers appropriate, regarding access to the information provided or discl

• § 35 — Establishment of CareShield Life and ElderShield Insurance Fund

  35. A fund called the CareShield Life and ElderShield Insurance Fund is established for the purposes of the CSHL Scheme and ESH Scheme, comprising —(a) all premiums (including interest, costs and penalties under sections 23(1)(a), 27(3) and 29, respectively) and any other sums paid under the CSHL Sc

• § 36 — Payments from Fund, etc.

  36.—(1) All payments of benefits (including goodwill sums) and other payments (including any rebate mentioned in subsection (2) and reimbursement of assessors’ fees for disability assessments as determined by the Board) under the CSHL Scheme and ESH Scheme are to be met from the Fund.(2) The Ministe

• § 37 — CareShield Life Council

  37.—(1) The Minister may appoint a CareShield Life Council comprising the following members:(a) the Chairperson; (b) at least 2 and not more than 16 other members. (2) The Minister may appoint a Deputy Chairperson from among the members mentioned in subsection (1)(b). (3) In addition to the funct

• § 38 — Establishment of Long-Term Care Support Fund

  38.—(1) A Government fund called the Long‑Term Care Support Fund is established comprising —(a) all moneys from time to time appropriated from the Consolidated Fund and authorised to be paid into the LTC Support Fund by any written law; (b) all other revenues of Singapore allocated by any written l

• § 39 — Purposes of LTC Support Fund

  39.—(1) The moneys in the LTC Support Fund may be withdrawn and applied only for all or any of the following purposes:(a) to provide premium support for the CSHL Scheme in the form of a subsidy of the cost of any premium of the CSHL Scheme covering an eligible insured person; (b) to fund any part o

• § 4 — Meaning of “authorised applicant”

  4. In this Act, unless the context otherwise requires, “authorised applicant”, in relation to —(a) an individual making a health declaration for the purposes of the CSHL Scheme or ESH Scheme; (b) an individual making an application for insurance cover under the CSHL Scheme; (c) an insured person w

• § 40 — Expenses

  40.—(1) Unless otherwise directed by the Minister, all costs, expenses and charges incurred in relation to making any investment of moneys in the LTC Support Fund are to be charged upon and payable out of the LTC Support Fund.(2) All other expenses incidental to or arising from the administration an

• § 41 — Withdrawals

  41.—(1) Moneys cannot be withdrawn from the LTC Support Fund unless they are charged upon the LTC Support Fund or are authorised to be withdrawn or transferred under this Act.(2) Despite section 13 of the Financial Procedure Act 1966, payment may be made out of the LTC Support Fund only if the payme

• § 42 — Financial year

  42. The financial year of the LTC Support Fund begins on 1 April of each year and ends on 31 March of the succeeding year.

• § 43 — Accounts

  43. An accounting officer of the LTC Support Fund must —(a) cause to be kept proper accounts and records of all transactions and affairs relating to the LTC Support Fund, or the transactions and affairs of the part of the LTC Support Fund that the accounting officer is in charge of, as the case may

• § 44 — Financial statements and audit

  44.—(1) The Minister must, as soon as practicable after the close of each financial year, cause to be prepared and submitted financial statements and accounts of the LTC Support Fund in respect of the financial year to the Auditor‑General, or such other auditor who may be appointed by the Minister i

• § 45 — Dissolution of LTC Support Fund

  45. Upon dissolution of the LTC Support Fund during any term of office of the Government (within the meaning of the Constitution), the balance of such moneys remaining in the LTC Support Fund must be transferred to the Consolidated Fund and be added to the reserves of the Government not accumulated

• § 46 — Investigators

  46.—(1) The Minister may, in writing, appoint any public officer or any other person as an investigator to investigate any offence under this Act.(2) The chief executive officer of the Board may, in writing, appoint any officer of the Board as an investigator to investigate any offence under this Ac

• § 47 — Power to obtain information

  47.—(1) An investigator who has a reasonable suspicion that any person has committed an offence under this Act may —(a) by written notice require the person to attend at such reasonable time and at such place as may be specified by the investigator to answer any question or to provide a signed state

• § 48 — False or incorrect health declaration, means declaration, claim or application

  48.—(1) A person commits an offence if the person —(a) makes, or assists in the making of, a health declaration, means declaration, claim or any application under this Act which is false or misleading in a material particular, knowing that the declaration, claim or application is false or misleading

• § 49 — Fraudulent disability assessment

  49.—(1) An assessor in making a report of a disability assessment that he or she conducted in respect of an individual under this Act must not give any information which is false, or conceal any information, with the intent of causing —(a) the individual to be given or not to be given insurance cove

• § 5 — Establishment of CareShield Life Scheme

  5.—(1) There is established a severe disability insurance scheme called the CareShield Life Scheme or CSHL Scheme to provide payments of an insured sum to an insured person when he or she becomes severely disabled, during the period in which he or she is insured under the CSHL Scheme.(2) It is the f

• § 50 — Misuse of payouts

  50.—(1) A person who receives any benefits under the CSHL Scheme or ESH Scheme on behalf of an insured person must first apply the benefits for the care of the insured person.(2) A person who, without reasonable excuse, contravenes subsection (1) shall be guilty of an offence and shall be liable on

• § 51 — Obstructing investigators in execution of duties

  51. A person who, without reasonable excuse, obstructs, hinders or impedes any investigator in the performance or execution of a duty or anything which the investigator is authorised, empowered or required to do under this Act shall be guilty of an offence and shall be liable on conviction to a fine

• § 52 — Offences by corporations

  52.—(1) Where, in a proceeding for an offence under this Act, it is necessary to prove the state of mind of a corporation in relation to a particular conduct, evidence that —(a) an officer, employee or agent of the corporation engaged in that conduct within the scope of his or her actual or apparent

• § 53 — Offences by unincorporated associations or partnerships

  53.—(1) Where, in a proceeding for an offence under this Act, it is necessary to prove the state of mind of an unincorporated association or a partnership in relation to a particular conduct, evidence that —(a) an employee or agent of the unincorporated association or partnership engaged in that con

• § 54 — Jurisdiction of courts

  54. Despite the Criminal Procedure Code 2010, a District Court or a Magistrate’s Court has jurisdiction to try any offence under this Act and has power to impose the full punishment for any such offence.

• § 55 — Conduct of prosecutions

  55. Proceedings in respect of any offence under this Act may, with the authorisation of the Public Prosecutor, be conducted —(a) by any public officer appointed by the Minister to conduct such proceedings; or (b) by any officer of the Board appointed by the chief executive officer of the Board to c

• § 56 — Composition of offences

  56.—(1) A public officer authorised by the Minister, or an officer of the Board authorised by the chief executive officer of the Board, may compound any offence under this Act that is prescribed as a compoundable offence by collecting from a person reasonably suspected of having committed the offenc

• § 57 — Power to delegate

  57.—(1) The Council may in respect of a specified matter or class of matters, by writing, delegate any of its functions or duties under this Act to a member of the Council or a committee appointed under section 37(5), except the power of delegation conferred by this subsection.(2) The Board may in r

• § 58 — Change of address

  58.—(1) Subject to subsection (2) —(a) every insured person who is liable to pay any premium; (b) every person who is liable to pay any premium on behalf of an insured person; and (c) every person who receives any benefit under the CSHL Scheme or ESH Scheme, including a person who receives any suc

• § 59 — Certificate of officer authorised by Board to be evidence

  59.—(1) In any legal proceedings, a copy of an entry in the accounts of the Fund duly certified under the hand of an officer of the Board authorised by the Board to sign the certification is prima facie evidence of the entry having been made and of the truth of the contents of the entry.(2) In any s

• § 6 — Application of CSHL Scheme

  6.—(1) The CSHL Scheme applies to —(a) every citizen of Singapore or permanent resident of Singapore whose birthday is on or after 1 January 1980 and who is at least 30 years of age; (b) every individual —(i) who, on 30 September 2020, was not a citizen of Singapore or a permanent resident of Singa

• § 60 — Protection from personal liability

  60. No liability shall lie against —(a) any public officer; (b) any member of the Council or of any committee appointed under section 37; (c) any member, officer or employee of the Board, the Administrator or a recovery body; or (d) any other person acting under the direction of the Council, the

• § 61 — Service of documents

  61.—(1) A document that is permitted or required by or under this Act to be served on a person may be served as described in this section.[Act 18 of 2025 wef 01/01/2026] (2) A document permitted or required by or under this Act to be served on an individual may be served —(a) by giving it to the ind

• § 61A — Service of demand notes

  61A.—(1) A demand note may be served as described in this section.(2) A demand note may be served on a person —(a) by giving it to the person personally; (b) by sending it by prepaid registered post to the address specified by the person generally for the service of documents permitted or required

• § 62 — General exemption

  62. The Minister may, by order in the Gazette, exempt any person or class of persons from all or any of the provisions of this Act, either generally or in a particular case and subject to such conditions as may be specified in the order.

• § 63 — Amendment of First and Fourth Schedules

  63.—(1) The Minister may, by order in the Gazette, amend, add to or vary the First Schedule or Fourth Schedule.[Act 18 of 2025 wef 01/01/2026] (2) The Minister may, in any order made under subsection (1), make such incidental, consequential or supplementary provisions as may be necessary or expedien

• § 64 — Regulations

  64.—(1) The Minister may make regulations necessary or convenient for carrying out the purposes and provisions of this Act.(2) Without limiting subsection (1), such regulations may —(a) provide for the different classes of persons who are to be covered under the CSHL Scheme under section 6(1)(c); (

• § 65 — Saving and transitional provision

  65. For a period of 2 years after the date of commencement of any provision of this Act, the Minister may, by regulations, prescribe such provisions of a saving or transitional nature consequent on the enactment of that provision as the Minister may consider necessary or expedient.[68

• § 7 — Application for insurance cover

  7.—(1) An individual who wishes to have insurance cover under the CSHL Scheme must apply to the Board in accordance with this section. (2) Despite any provision in the Mental Capacity Act 2008, if an individual lacks mental capacity, an authorised applicant may make an application under this section

• § 8 — Transfer date

  8. The transfer date is the date that the Minister may, by notification in the Gazette, appoint to be the date on which the former ElderShield Scheme is transferred to the Government.

• § 9 — Waiver of prohibition of transfer

  9.—(1) A provision in any contract, agreement, conveyance, deed, lease, guarantee, bond, indemnity and other instrument or undertaking to which a private insurer is a party on the eve of the transfer date which prohibits or has the effect of prohibiting the transfer of any property, rights, obligati