Perspectives from Prudential: Creating a sustainable healthcare ecosystem

By Dr Sidharth Kachroo, Medical Director & Head of Medical Portfolio Management, Prudential Singapore??

Are you ready to live to the age of 100?

This is expected to be the norm for Singaporeans in the future. In 2020, the number of centenarians in Singapore was 1,500. This was more than double that of the 700 Singapore centenarians in 2010 [1].

Having one of the longest life expectancies in the world should be a good thing, but many Singaporeans are apprehensive about it.

Prudential’s Fulfilling Futures research report [2] shows that only six in 10 Singaporeans are optimistic about staying healthy past 80 years old. Yet, this is not surprising, as about one in three of the population have chronic diseases such as hypertension (32%) and high cholesterol (37%), according to the White Paper on Healthier SG published in 2022.

Our goal is to get more Singaporeans to embrace and be prepared for longevity, by helping them lead healthier and more fulfilling lives in their older years. To do this, we have taken a definitive step beyond our core business of providing Protection, to another two ‘P’s: to help people Prevent and Postpone the onset of health conditions. In this way, we are transforming beyond being a “payer” of claims, to becoming a trusted “partner” that supports wellbeing and connects customers to appropriate services throughout their healthcare journey.

One of the key levers we use to encourage healthy living is the PRUWell Reward, which is a central feature of our PRUShield Integrated Shield Plans (IPs) . The PRUWell Reward allows customers to enjoy a percentage discount on their Standard Level premiums at their next policy renewal, in case no claims are made on their supplementary plans. By incentivising healthy living, we hope to encourage the hundreds of thousands of PRUShield customers that we serve to take proactive steps to maintain their health and wellbeing.

Managing chronic disease

Another way we support our customers is through Prudential’s holistic healthcare ecosystem that ensures access to health management resources, benefits, and services.

For instance, under our PRUPanel Connect (PPC) programme , customers can enrol in the Diabetes Care Programme (DCP) or the Hypertension Care Programme (HCP) at a low cost. These six-month programmes offer various health assessments, consultations and standard medications, lifestyle counselling sessions and smoking cessation [3] support. Both programmes are designed to help customers who are newly diagnosed with chronic conditions to manage their health and get on the road to recovery.

Programmes for other chronic conditions are in the works, in line with the Health Promotion Board’s goals to support the management of such health conditions.

Towards a more holistic, sustainable healthcare ecosystem

Singapore has taken decisive steps to manage the needs of its ageing population with the Healthier SG initiative at its core. Healthier SG represents a significant change in Singapore’s health care system as it focuses on promoting overall well-being through proactive measures. By introducing a primary GP model, individuals will benefit from having a dedicated doctor who will know their medical history, and thus be able to manage their health more effectively.

Prudential sees itself playing a role in helping to create awareness of such initiatives and encouraging participation. For instance, we have partnered Raffles Medical Group to offer blood pressure screening, blood sugar checks, and Body Mass index (BMI) assessments to PRUShield policyholders. PRUShield policyholders may submit an online appointment request for these tests at any of the 37 Raffles Medical Group clinics once every calendar year, subject to eligibility. Policyholders who sign up for Healthier SG at any of Raffles Medical Group’s clinics also get further subsidies and benefits.

It is heartening to see that Healthier SG has received strong public support, with a good take-up rate of about 700,000 as at January 2024 , with enrolments from GP clinics accounting for half of all who have signed up. This is crucial as preventing chronic conditions and health issues upstream at the GP level will alleviate the burden downstream, at specialist clinics and hospitals.

As the government rolls-out such initiatives, various stakeholders have to continue working together to manage the long-term health of the nation and ensure the sustainability of healthcare for all.

From healthcare providers, to insurers, and patients, we all have a role to play in creating a more integrated and robust healthcare system. For example, more can be done to deliver an integrated model of care to address the increasing burden of chronic disease. Integrated care approach of healthcare delivery minimises fragmentation of patient services and improves care continuity, leading to better health outcomes for patients.

We are working towards an end-to-end healthcare ecosystem, where we can support and partner our customers at every step of their health journey, by ensuring seamless access to wellness as well as preventive care and an integrated journey from primary care to secondary care, if required.

In this, Prudential’s goal is twofold: to play a long-term partnering role for a healthier nation, and to be a one-stop wellness and healthcare partner for customers – all the way to 100 years of age and beyond.

Dr Sidharth Kachroo is the Medical Director & Head, Medical Portfolio Management for Prudential Singapore. He is responsible for the success and sustainability of its healthcare insurance business, and provision of comprehensive healthcare solutions to customers. Dr Sidharth has more than 20 years of experience in the health insurance industry and was previously a practising clinician specialising in internal medicine.

[1] Source: Living to be 100: Governments, society need to start planning, say experts at longevity forum | The Straits Times

[2] Reference: Fulfilling Futures | Battling chronic disease in Singapore: Reducing risk and building awareness

[3] Where applicable. For more information, please refer to Chronic Care Management Programmes | Prudential Singapore