Medifund committees
14.—(1) The Minister may, by order in the Gazette, appoint one or more Medifund committees, comprising persons appointed by the Minister, to consider and approve applications from eligible patients in approved institutions and to administer payments out of their Medifund Accounts.
(2) The order under subsection (1) must designate the approved institutions and the classes of eligible patients in relation to which a Medifund committee may approve applications under section 15 and exercise any other powers or duties under this Part.
(3) A Medifund committee may sue or be sued in the name by which it is described in an order under subsection (1).
Applications by eligible patients
15.—(1) Every person who —(a)
is a citizen of Singapore;
(b)
has received treatment or requires treatment from any approved institution;
(c)
is unable to pay the hospital charges, fees or other expenses incurred by the person; and
(d)
satisfies such other requirements as may be prescribed,
may apply to the Medifund committee designated to approve the person’s application for a payment out of the Medifund Account of the Medifund committee to defray in whole or in part the hospital charges, fees and other expenses incurred by the person.
(2) Every application under subsection (1) must be supported by such evidence as may be prescribed and by any further evidence that the Medifund committee may reasonably require.
Application made on behalf of patient
16. If an eligible patient, by reason of incapacity by physical or mental illness or any other cause, is unable to make an application under section 15, any member of the patient’s immediate family or the medical social worker in charge of the patient’s case may submit the application on the patient’s behalf.
Payments authorised by Medifund committee
17.—(1) Upon receipt of an application made under section 15, the Medifund committee designated to approve applications from such class of eligible patients of such approved institutions for the purposes of this Part may, if it thinks fit and subject to the availability of moneys in the Medifund Account —(a)
approve the application of any eligible patient of any approved institution in that class; and
(b)
authorise in writing payments of such amount as it thinks fit out of the Medifund Account to the approved institution to defray in whole or in part the hospital charges, fees and other expenses incurred by that eligible patient.
(2) The Medifund committee must, in considering any application and authorising payment, comply with any regulations made under this Act and any directive and guideline issued by the Minister under section 7(2).
(3) The Medifund committee may consider any other circumstances which, in the opinion of the committee, is relevant to the application.
(4) Despite subsection (1), a Medifund committee may authorise any person to approve the application by any eligible patient in exceptional circumstances and when the payment does not exceed such amount as may be specified in any directive or guideline issued under section 7(2).
(5) Nothing in this Act is to be construed to require a Medifund committee or an authorised person referred to in subsection (4) to approve the application of every patient who satisfies the requirements under section 15.
Source: Singapore Statutes Online (Attorney-General's Chambers), © Government of Singapore.
