46% $4,551 – $4,700 70% 55% 60% 45% $4,701 – $4,850 69% 54% 59% 44% $4,851 – $5,000 68% 53% 58% 43% $5,001 – $5,100 67% 52% 57% 42% $5,101 – $5,200 66% 51% 56% 41% $5,201 and above2 65% 50% 55% 40% 1. no income declare and property with av below $11,000. 2. no income declare and property with av exceeding $11,000. 3. foreigners no longer receive any subsidies at public hospitals since 01-jan-08. community health assist scheme in 2012, the community health assist scheme or chas was introduced. it is a supplementary healthcare scheme that provides further subsidies for citizens from lower-to-middle income households, and the pioneer generation, born before 1950, who need treatment for common illnesses, chronic health problems and specific dental issues. beneficiaries get a blue or orange "health assist card", depending on their household income. in 2019, the scheme was extended. orange cardholders who only received subsidies for chronic conditions now also get subsidies for common illnesses. all citizens are covered for chronic conditions, and the subsidies for complex chronic conditions have been further increased. private sector the increasingly large private sector provides care to those who are privately insured, foreign patients, or public patients who are able to afford what often amounts to very large out-of-pocket payments above the levels provided by government subsidies. the private sector consists of private healthcare, and private insurance. the private healthcare sector utilizes the network of general practitioners (gps) and private hospitals. and, the private health insurance sector utilizes integrated shield plans and private insurance. the government uses the capacity of the private sector to reduce waiting times in the public sector. in 2015 it planned to use the raffles medical group to receive non-critical ambulance cases. private healthcare the private healthcare sector in singapore has a large market, with a more exclusive clientele. private healthcare often attracts individuals in search of more advanced and complicated treatments such as stem cell therapy, or specialised cancer treatments. private healthcare is more appealing and preferred by expatriate citizens as opposed to public for the short wait times, and greater availability of services. two hospital groups operate the majority; parkway pantai and raffles medical group. these private hospitals are typically smaller, offer patients more privacy, and typically specialize in certain procedures or surgeries. parkway pantai parkway pantai is southeast asia's largest private healthcare provider with hospitals in several countries such as singapore, malaysia and brunei. it is a wholly owned subsidiary of ihh healthcare and owns four hospitals in singapore: gleneagles hospital, mount elizabeth hospital, mount elizabeth novena hospital and parkway east hospital. raffles medical group raffles medical group (rmg) is one of the largest private healthcare providers in asia, with hospitals and clinics located in several cities, including singapore. rmg owns raffles hospital in singapore, which specializes in obstetrics and gynecology, cardiology, oncology, and orthopedics. private health insurance there are a variety of choices for private health insurance in singapore, known as integrated shield plans which supplement medishield life coverage. depending on an individual, or families level of income, lifestyle, location, and medical history, there are monthly insurance plans ranging from s$75 sgd to s$400. companies include but are not limited to aia, singlife with aviva, axa, great eastern, income, prudential and raffles health. government initiatives national university hospital in 2008 medical tourism main article: medical tourism § singapore in october 2003, then acting minister for health khaw boon wan launched "singaporemedicine" to promote singapore as a regional medical hub. he said more than 200,000 foreigners visited singapore for its medical services in 2002 and that the economic review committee reaffirmed its ambition of serving 1 million foreign patients annually by 2012. in his speech, khaw said, "singaporemedicine that we are launching today shall be the rallying point and a powerful symbol of our collective will and commitment towards this ambition... in three specialties alone, heart, eye and cancer, i see tens of millions of middle-class patients within a 7-hour flying radius, waiting to be served. if they can be attracted here, they will keep us all very busy... this is my dream for singapore as the regional medical hub, where regional doctors and nurses compete to work here to learn, and where international patients seek us out for care and treatment." national electronic record programme the national electronic record programme was launched in 2011 and is used by more than 280 institutions to support telehealth and telemedicine. pioneer generation package the pioneer generation package (pgp) is a s$9 billion package launched in 2014 aimed at helping approximately 450,000 singaporeans born on or before 31 december 1949 and obtained citizenship before 31 december 1986 through a series of healthcare and social support schemes over an estimated 20-year period. issues shortage of hospital beds since 2010, the healthcare system has often faced shortages of hospital beds. this has been attributed to an ageing population, especially affected by the covid-19 pandemic. in certain situations, hospitals had to temporarily locate patients in other places or being transferred to community care facilities. since then, the government has opened three general hospitals and three community hospitals to cater to the increasing demand for hospital beds, and temporary hospitals were and are being built at changi, jurong east, sengkang, yishun, bedok and pasir ris.