20,000 people affected by 'processing issue' with means-testing system managed by MOH

CNA

4 days ago

SINGAPORE: About 20,000 people have been affected by a processing issue in the Household Means Eligibility System (HOMES), a means-testing system managed by the Ministry of Health (MOH).
The majority of those affected received higher-than-intended subsidies and grants, MOH said in a media release on Monday (Jul 21). The rest received subsidies and grants that were lower than intended.
Corrections to subsidy and grant levels are currently being made, following the discovery of the issue, the ministry added.
HOMES typically uses income information from the Inland Revenue Authority of Singapore (IRAS) to means-test individuals with business income, said MOH.
However, in January 2025, the system could not appropriately account for the business incomes of selected individuals following changes in the data processing timelines.
This led to "inaccurate means-testing" for individuals with business incomes and members of their households between Jan 1 and Jan 27.
Around 19,000 people who are under schemes administered by MOH were affected, the Health Ministry said.
Another 1,000 people were also affected despite being under other schemes managed by the Early Childhood Development Agency (ECDA), Ministry of Social and Family Development (MSF), Ministry of Education (MOE), and Infocomm Media Development Authority (IMDA).
This is because "HOMES also provides means-testing results for selected subsidy schemes across the government", MOH added.
Those affected by the issue represent less than 3 per cent of all individuals means-tested during the Jan 1 to Jan 27 period, the ministry said.
Affected schemes and what to expect
AFFECTED MOH SCHEMES
CareShield Life and MediShield Life premium subsidies and Additional Premium Support (APS)
Affected individuals will receive the correct premium subsidies at their next policy renewal. APS recipients will continue to have their premiums covered based on their approved validity period. All affected individuals will be notified via letter. No action is required on their part.
Community Health Assist Scheme (CHAS)
Affected CHAS cardholders will receive letters detailing any required actions, if any.
Subsidies for long-term care services
Affected individuals will receive the corrected subsidies from the next billing cycle or payout date.
Seniors' Mobility and Enabling Fund, Equipment Rental Scheme, Home Caregiving Grant and ElderFund
Affected individuals will be informed of their adjusted subsidy or payout.
Subsidies for day surgeries, inpatient services, specialist outpatient clinics, polyclinic drugs/vaccines and community hospital services
From July 2025, public healthcare institutions will notify individuals who received lower-than-intended subsidies and adjust their bills accordingly. Reimbursements will be issued where applicable. No action is required from individuals.
AFFECTED NON-MOH SCHEMES
ECDA: Preschool subsidies and early intervention schemes
ECDA will inform affected parents, preschools and early intervention centres of the adjusted subsidies from Jul 22. The corrected subsidies will take effect from August 2025 onwards.
IMDA: DigitalAccess@Home Scheme (DAH)
The affected households will be informed from Jul 22. Households who were under-subsidised will receive the correct subsidies and be automatically reimbursed. Those with higher subsidies will continue to receive them for the remaining validity period of the household's current DAH award. Their eligibility will be reviewed when they apply for a new DAH award.
MOE: Higher education bursaries and Kindergarten Care (KCare) additional subsidies
The Institutes of Higher Learning will inform affected students. No action is required from the students. Affected children attending MOE KCare will have their corrected subsidies applied from August 2025 and will be notified accordingly.
SG Enable will work with service providers to inform the affected individuals receiving the subsidies from Jul 22. The corrected subsidies will apply from August 2025 onwards.
MOH said it has completed the reassessment of the affected people and "will adjust their means-test and subsidy tiers back to the intended levels" from Jul 21 onwards.
"For those who received an over-subsidy, they will not have to return the excess subsidy and/or grant amounts that have already been paid," the ministry said.
"For the minority of individuals who received lower than intended subsidies and/or) grants, agencies will make good the difference."
MOH said that the agencies will reach out to inform affected individuals progressively, and there is no action required on their part.