Quick guide to Budget 2013's healthcare promises

How will private healthcare sector be affected?

According to OCBC, similar to Budget 2012, the Singapore government pledged its commitment to make healthcare more affordable for Singaporeans for its Budget 2013.

While the main focus would remain on the lower income group and elderly, the government also stated that it would ensure that the needs of the middle-income group are met.

Here's more from OCBC:

One of the more significant impacts to the private healthcare sector is the government’s target to lower the out-of-pocket medical expenses of Singaporeans.

We believe that this could incentivise patients to take-up more private healthcare services, given the long waiting times at public healthcare institutions.

Raffles Medical Group would be a key beneficiary, in our view.

The ongoing structural change in demographics towards an aging population, rising affluence and increasing burden on the public healthcare sector would likely underpin the growth momentum of the private healthcare sector.