CHAS Cards 2022 Guide: CHAS Blue Card, CHAS Orange Card, CHAS Green Card, Merdeka Generation Card & Pioneer Generation Card Overview
Joel Kohā
As announced in the Singapore Budget 2019, ALL Singapore CitizensĀ can now receive subsidies for chronic conditions (touchwood), regardless of their income.
Why is this important, you ask?
It’s no secret that Singapore’s population is ageing, and with it comes an increase in healthcare needs.
So the enhancements to the Community Health Assist Scheme (CHAS) subsidies are just one of the many ways in which the government is trying to make healthcare more affordable, accessible, and comprehensive for as many Singaporeans as possible.
So what’s CHAS all about? And how do you go about applying for a CHAS card?
Let’s find out!
TL;DR: Community Health Assist Scheme (CHAS) Cards and All CHAS Subsidies Explained
Effective 1 November 2019, the CHASĀ will be enhanced in three ways:
- Extended to cover ALL Singapore Citizens for chronic conditions, regardless of income
- Increased subsidiesĀ for complex chronic conditions
- Lower to middle-income Singaporeans who are CHAS Orange cardholders will alsoĀ receive subsidies for common illnesses
As I’ve explained in an earlier article, the CHAS card is NOTĀ just for lower-income Singaporeans anymore.
As CHAS would put it, the Community Health Assist Scheme (CHAS) enables all Singapore Citizens, including Pioneer Generation (PG) and Merdeka Generation (MG) cardholders, to receive subsidies for medical and/or dental care at participating General Practitioner (GP) and dental clinics.
There are even CHAS subsidies for health screenings as well.
Here’s all you need to know about CHAS at a glance:
| CHAS Criteria | CHAS Green Card | CHAS Orange Card | CHAS Blue Card | Merdeka Generation | Pioneer Generation | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Household monthly income per person (for households with income) | Above $2,000 | $1,201 ā $2,000 | $1,200 and below | All Merdeka Generation seniors receive CHAS benefits, regardless ofincome or AV of home | All Pioneers receive CHAS benefits, regardless ofincome or AV of home | |
| Annual Value of home (for households with no income) | Above $25,000 | $21,001 - $25,000 | $21,000 and below | |||
| CHAS Subsidies | ||||||
| Common Illnesses (1) | Not applicable | Up to $10 subsidy per visit | Up to $18.50 subsidy per visit | Up to $23.50 subsidy per visit | Up to $28.50 subsidy per visit | |
| Selected Chronic Conditions | Simple (2) | Up to $28 subsidy per visit, capped at $112 per year | Up to $50 subsidy per visit, capped at $200 per year | Up to $80 subsidy per visit, capped at $320 per year | Up to $85 subsidy per visit, capped at $340 per year | Up to $90 subsidy per visit, capped at $360 per year |
| Complex (3) | Up to $40 subsidy per visit, capped at $160 per year | Up to $80 subsidy per visit, capped at $320 per year | Up to $125 subsidy per visit, capped at $500 per year | Up to $130 subsidy per visit, capped at $520 per year | Up to $135 subsidy per visit, capped at $540 per year |
|
| Selected Dental Services | Not applicable | Up to $50 to $170.50 subsidy per procedure (denture, crown, root canal treatment only) | Up to $11 to $256.50 subsidy per procedure (dependent on procedure) | Up to $16 to $261.50 subsidy per procedure (dependent on procedure) | Up to $21 to $266.50 subsidy per procedure (dependent on procedure) |
|
| Recommended Health Screening under Screen for Life (3) | A fixed fee of $5 for eligible Singaporeans | A fixed fee of $2 for eligible Singaporeans | A fixed fee of $2 for eligible Singaporeans | A fixed fee of $2 for eligible seniors | Free for eligible seniors | |
| Nationally-recommended Vaccinations (4) | Singapore Citizens who meet the criteria for vaccination under the National Childhood Immunisation Schedule (NCIS) and National Adult Immunisation Schedule (NAIS) are eligible for subsidies for nationally-recommended vaccinations |
|||||
| Childhood Developmental Screening | All Singaporean children (from ages 0 to 6 years old) who attend Childhood Developmental Screening according to the recommended touchpoints under local guidelines will be eligible for subsidies | Not applicable | Not applicable | |||
Source: CHAS (latest information published on January 2021)
(1) Capped at 24 visits for common illnesses per patient per calendar year, across all CHAS clinics.
(2) āSimpleā refers to visits for a single chronic condition. āComplexā refers to visits for multiple chronic conditions or a single chronic condition with complication(s).
(3) This refers to the cost of the screening test(s) and first post-screening consultation. Screening tests under the programme include cardiovascular disease, cervical cancer and colorectal cancer screening.
(4) For more information on vaccinations, do visit this site. Subsidies are applicable to certain vaccine brands.
What Is the Community Health Assist Scheme (CHAS)?
Simply put, CHAS lets all Singapore Citizens, including Merdeka Generation (MG) and Pioneer Generation (PG) cardholders, enjoy subsidies for medical and/or dental care at participating General Practitioner (GP) and dental clinics near their home.
Chas Card Eligibility: Chas Cards and Benefits for Singapore Citizens, Merdeka Generation and Pioneer Generation Seniors
You’ll be glad to know that all Singaporean citizens are eligible for CHAS.
But the amount of subsidies you can receive varies and is ranked according to the CHAS cards your qualify for. The tiers you qualify for are determined by the household monthly income per person or the Annual Value (AV) of your home or if you are an MG or PG senior:
| CHAS Criteria | CHAS Green Card | CHAS Orange Card | CHAS Blue Card | Merdeka Generation | Pioneer Generation | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Household monthly income per person (for households with income) | Above $2,000 | $1,201 ā $2,000 | $1,200 and below | All Merdeka Generation seniors receive CHAS benefits, regardless ofincome or AV of home | All Pioneers receive CHAS benefits, regardless ofincome or AV of home | |
| Annual Value of home (for households with no income) | Above $21,000 | $13,001 ā $21,000 | $13,000 and below | |||
If you wondering, here is how household monthly income per person is calculated:
Whereas the AV of your home is determined by the estimated annual rent your house would get if it is rented out. This figure is determined by the Inland Revenue Authority of Singapore (IRAS).
CHAS Blue Card vs CHAS Green Card vs CHAS Orange Card vs Merdeka Generation CHAS vs Pioneer Generation CHAS Benefits
Cardholders with the Blue Chas Card get the most subsidies, the Orange CHAS Card cardholders get less while the Green CHAS card cardholders get the least.
But Pioneer Generation seniors get the most CHAS subsidies at CHAS clinics, followed by the Merdeka Generation Seniors as illustrated in the table below:
| CHAS Subsidies | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Common Illnesses | Not applicable | Up to $10 subsidy per visit | Up to $18.50 subsidy per visit | Up to $23.50 subsidy per visit | Up to $28.50 subsidy per visit | |
| Selected Chronic Conditions | Simple | Up to $28 subsidy per visit, capped at $112 per year | Up to $50 subsidy per visit, capped at $200 per year | Up to $80 subsidy per visit, capped at $320 per year | Up to $85 subsidy per visit, capped at $340 per year | Up to $90 subsidy per visit, capped at $360 per year |
| Complex | Up to $40 subsidy per visit, capped at $160 per year | Up to $80 subsidy per visit, capped at $320 per year | Up to $125 subsidy per visit, capped at $500 per year | Up to $130 subsidy per visit, capped at $520 per year | Up to $135 subsidy per visit, capped at $540 per year |
|
| Selected Dental Services | Not applicable | Up to $50 to $170.50 subsidy per procedure (denture, crown, root canal treatment only) | Up to $11 to $256.50 subsidy per procedure (dependent on procedure) | Up to $16 to $261.50 subsidy per procedure (dependent on procedure) | Up to $21 to $266.50 subsidy per procedure (dependent on procedure) |
|
| Recommended Health Screening under Screen for Life (3) | A fixed fee of $5 for eligible Singaporeans | A fixed fee of $2 for eligible Singaporeans | A fixed fee of $2 for eligible Singaporeans | A fixed fee of $2 for eligible seniors | Free for eligible seniors | |
| Nationally-recommended Vaccinations (4) | Singapore Citizens who meet the criteria for vaccination under the National Childhood Immunisation Schedule (NCIS) and National Adult Immunisation Schedule (NAIS) are eligible for subsidies for nationally-recommended vaccinations |
|||||
| Childhood Developmental Screening | All Singaporean children (from ages 0 to 6 years old) who attend Childhood Developmental Screening according to the recommended touchpoints under local guidelines will be eligible for subsidies | Not applicable | Not applicable | |||
If you’re wondering what the definitions are:
- ‘Simple’ chronic illness – One chronic condition
- ‘Complex’ chronic illness – Multiple chronic conditions or a single chronic condition with complications
- Health screening – Screening for diabetes, high blood pressure, high blood cholesterol, colorectal cancer and cervical cancer (If required, health screening includes first post-screening consultation).
What Are the Conditions Covered Under CHAS? CHAS Subsidies and CHAS Dental Subsidies for Conditions Explained
Here it is for your convenience:
| Common Illnesses* | Chronic Conditions | Dental Services* |
|---|---|---|
| ā¢ Abdominal pain ā¢ Cough, cold, flu ā¢ Diarrhoea ā¢ Fever ā¢ Headache ā¢ Skin infection and rashes ā¢ Sore eyes ā¢ Urinary tract infection (List is not exhaustive) | ā¢ Anxiety** ā¢ Asthma ā¢ Allergic Rhinitis ā¢ Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia ā¢ Bipolar Disorder** ā¢ Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease ā¢ Chronic Hepatitis B ā¢ Dementia ā¢ Diabetes (including Pre-Diabetes) ā¢ Epilepsy ā¢ Gout ā¢ Hypertension (High blood pressure) ā¢ Ischaemic Heart Disease ā¢ Lipid Disorders (e.g. High cholesterol) ā¢ Major Depression** ā¢ Nephritis/Nephrosis ā¢ Osteoarthritis ā¢ Osteoporosis ā¢ Parkinsonās Disease ā¢ Psoriasis ā¢ Rheumatoid Arthritis ā¢ Schizophrenia** ā¢ Stroke | ā¢ Extraction^ ā¢ Filling^ ā¢ Removable Denture ā¢ Denture Reline/Repair ā¢ Permanent Crown ā¢ Re-cementation ā¢ Root Canal Treatment ā¢ Polishing^ ā¢ Scaling^ ā¢ Topical fluoride^ ā¢ X-Ray^ |
| * Not applicable for CHAS Green Tier | ||
| ** Only claimable at selected clinics. Please call the CHAS Hotline 1800-275-2427 (1800-ASK-CHAS) for more information. | ||
| ^ Not applicable for CHAS Orange Tier | ||
If in doubt, I would recommend you to call the CHAS Hotline (1800-275-2427) to get more information.
CHAS Card Application: CHAS Application Methods
1. CHAS Application Online: www.chas.sg Form
- Log-in to the CHAS Online Application e-Service using your SingPass
- Confirm or update your household information which would have been auto-populated based on family members with the same NRIC address
- Submit the completed application electronically.
2. Hardcopy CHAS Application Form 2022
- Download the CHAS Card application form
- Mail the completed application form (and supporting documents) to:
- P.O. Box 680
Bukit Merah Central Post Office
Singapore 911536
- P.O. Box 680
- Note that you will only need to submit one application per household and that all eligible family members in your household will receive a CHAS card.
Your CHAS card application will be processed within 15 working days from the day the completed application is received by CHAS.
And because I’m super helpful, here’re some things to note if you’re applying for a CHAS card:
| Things to note for CHAS application | |
|---|---|
| 1 | Family with the same NRIC address only requires one application form to be submitted. |
| 2 | Parents or legal guardians will need to give consent by signing on the application form on behalf of their family members who are under 21 years old. |
| 3 | For those who are mentally incapacitated, the appointed donee(s) or deputy(s) can sign on their behalf. |
| 4 | In the event consent has been provided on behalf of any family member(s), additional supporting documents may be required. |
| 5 | By signing up for CHAS, you are giving your consents for data sharing between Ministry of Health (MOH) and its partners. |
If you’re on Public Assistance (PA), you will automatically receive the same subsidies as CHAS Blue cardholders. You DO NOT NEED TO SUBMIT A SEPARATE APPLICATION.
To enjoy the CHAS subsidies, simply present your PA card at participating clinics.
CHAS Renewal
After you applied and received the CHAS card, you might have noticed that your card is only valid for about two years.
But when your card is about to expire, you need not fret as most CHAS cardholders’ cards will be automatically processed for renewal three months before they expire.
CHAS will re-evaluate your household’s eligibility for CHAS cards based on your latest household circumstances (i.e. income and composition). Also, look out for a letter from CHAS that will inform you about your householdās CHAS renewal outcome.
But in the event that CHAS requires more information from you to re-evaluate your householdās CHAS eligibility, they will send you a renewal invitation package about three months before your card expires.
In light of COVID-19, you are encouraged to submit your renewal for CHASĀ online by logging in with your SingPass account. You may also choose to complete and sign the completed hardcopy application form, and mail it to the address mentioned above.
Note that if you have not received any CHAS renewal letter 1 month before your card expires, do proceed to submit a renewal online or mail a completed application form to CHAS if you want to continue receiving CHAS subsidies after your existing card expires.
How Do I Enjoy CHAS Subsidies With My CHAS Card?
You need to be visiting a participating clinic in order to enjoy the subsidies.
For easy identification, all CHAS participating clinics will display a CHAS sticker at their entrance. So look out for this:
How To Find a CHAS Clinic Near Me
Alternatively, you can look for a CHAS participating clinic here.
This is what the clinic locator will look like:
Side note: This is probably the smarter way to go about looking for a CHAS clinic.
What Do I Need To Bring to the CHAS Clinic?
In order to enjoy your CHAS benefits, remember to bring these along and present them upon registration at participating clinics:
- NRIC
- Either a valid physical CHAS card, PA card, Merdeka Card, Pioneer Generation Card OR the digital CHAS card on the Singpass mobile app.
You can now use either your physical or digital card at any CHAS clinics - Student pass or birth certificate (for those under 15 years old).
Can I Use MediSave To Pay My Medical Bill After Deducting Chas Subsidies?
Yes, you can!
After deducting CHAS subsidies, you will need to co-pay 15% of the remaining medical bill in cash while the rest can be paid for using MediSave.
You can use your own or your immediate family members’ MediSave account – up to the withdrawal limit of $500 per account per year for outpatient treatment of chronic conditions.
