CPF Clarifies - Joint MOH-CPFB statement on Mr Suriia Das’ request to use his CPF savings for his wife’s cancer treatment

<p>​</p><p> <strong>Joint MOH-CPFB statement on Mr Suriia Das' request to use his CPF savings for his wife's cancer treatment (12 July 2019)</strong></p><p style="text-align:justify;"> <br>We would like to clarify online stories alleging that Mdm Sarojini was forced to seek treatment at Parkway Cancer Centre (PCC) and Mount Elizabeth Hospital (MEH) and not the National University Hospital (NUH) because those were the only medical institutions that gave her the hope that she will survive. To help his wife, Mr Suriia Das is appealing for his CPF retirement savings to be used for her medical expenses. It is important to make the following information public because of the misleading information that had been put out.</p><p>As shared publicly by the couple, Mdm Sarojini suffers from advanced metastatic ovarian cancer. Since 2017, she has opted to receive treatment at MEH and PCC. PCC has informed her and her husband that her cancer is not curable and her illness is terminal. Mdm Sarojini had visited NUH in 2018 for a second opinion, and the NUH specialist's evaluation was her disease is not curable, similar to PCC's diagnosis. NUH had offered her an open appointment date should the family decide to transfer to NUH for subsidised care. </p><p>As Mdm Sarojini chose to continue treatment at PCC, which is a private institution, there is no government subsidy. Nevertheless, Mdm Sarojini is covered by MediShield Life, which has paid out about $60,000 for her medical and hospitalisation bills so far. She also has additional private insurance coverage under an Integrated Shield Plan. Together with MediShield Life, health insurance has paid out over $300,000 to date, covering close to 90% of her medical bills at PCC and MEH. Mdm Sarojini has also been receiving $1,100 per month under ElderShield and ElderShield supplement plans since October 2017, amounting to about $23,000. This has reduced the financial burden of her treatment over the past few years. Mdm Sarojini and Mr Suriia Das also withdrew about $9,000 from their MediSave accounts for her treatment.</p><p>In 2017, Mdm Sarojini applied to withdraw all her CPF savings in her Ordinary and Special Accounts (of about $25,000). Based on PCC's assessment that she was terminally ill, her application was approved. CPF Board's Home Protection Scheme had also paid out $186,500 to fully redeem her outstanding mortgage loan. </p><p>In sum, arising from Mdm Sarojini's illness, CPF-allowed insurance schemes have paid out a total of about $510,000 to date, while $34,000 has been withdrawn from the CPF accounts of both Mdm Sarojini and Mr Suriia Das. </p><p>We empathise deeply with the difficulties the couple is facing. We have done all we can to extend support to them through various schemes since 2017. We would like to emphasise again that subsidised care at NUH remains an option for the family. Should they face difficulties with their healthcare bills at NUH, they would be able to seek additional financial assistance from MediFund.</p><p style="text-align:justify;">(CPF Facebook <a href="https://www.facebook.com/70638270922/posts/10157037465850923/" target="_blank">post</a>)</p>