Philanthropic organisation Leap201 has convened a cross-sector roundtable to discuss enhancements to Singapore’s CareShield Life scheme, aiming to better support working families dealing with severe long-term disabilities and critical illnesses. The event, held on 16 June, forms part of Leap201’s Care4WorkingFamilies (C4W) initiative, launched in January 2025, and aligns with the Forward Singapore agenda.
The roundtable, which included experts from public, private, academic, and community sectors, proposed several key changes to the CareShield Life scheme. These include increasing the payout amounts, easing eligibility criteria by reducing the required Activities of Daily Living from three to two, and establishing a Recovery ‘Greenlane’ for streamlined access to support services. These recommendations come ahead of the Government’s review of the scheme, expected to conclude in the second half of 2025.
Jason Ho, Board Member and Managing Director of Leap201, emphasised the urgency of these changes, stating, “Whilst our social safety nets have strengthened over the years, we see working families—especially those facing long-term disability or illnesses—struggling with rising costs, stretched caregiving responsibilities, and underinsurance.”
The initiative’s Phase One, conducted with KPMG as a knowledge partner, also highlighted gaps in critical illness protection, particularly for cancer patients. These include insufficient insurance coverage, fragmented post-hospitalisation care, and challenges faced by cancer survivors returning to work.
Looking forward, Leap201 plans to delve deeper into these issues in Phase Two, aiming to inform future policy and pilot innovative solutions to support affected families.
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