Care Shield Life and Long-Term Care (Amendment) Bill

This Act is the CareShield Life and Long-Term Care (Amendment) Act 2025 and comes into operation on a date that the Minister appoints by notification in the Gazette.

In the CareShield Life and Long‑Term Care Act 2019 (called in this Act the principal Act), in section 2(1) —(a)after the definition of “medisave account”, insert —“ “not disabled” has the meaning given in the Fourth Schedule;”;(b)after the definition of “outstanding premium”, insert —“ “permanent resident of Singapore” has the meaning given by section 2 of the Immigration Act 1959;”; and(c)after the definition of “regulations”, insert —“ “SCPR date”, in relation to an individual, means the date on which the individual becomes a citizen of Singapore or a permanent resident of Singapore, whichever occurs first;”.

In the principal Act, in section 6 —(a)in subsection (1)(b), replace sub‑paragraph (iii) with —“(iii)who —(A)if the individual’s SCPR date is on or after the date of commencement of section 3(a) of the CareShield Life and Long‑Term Care (Amendment) Act 2025 — is not disabled on that SCPR date; or(B)if the individual’s SCPR date is before the date of commencement of section 3(a) of the CareShield Life and Long‑Term Care (Amendment) Act 2025 — was not severely disabled on that SCPR date;”; and(b)in subsection (4)(b), after “is”, insert “disabled or”.

In the principal Act, in section 61 —(a)in subsections (1), (2), (3) and (4), after “required by”, insert “or under”;(b)in subsection (2)(b), replace “documents or, if no address is so specified,” with “documents generally, or specifically for the document, or (if no address is so specified)”;(c)in subsection (3)(a), after “similar officer”, insert “, or an authorised representative,”;(d)in subsection (6), replace “prior consent (expressed or implied)” with “prior written consent”;(e)delete subsection (7);(f)in subsection (8), before the definition of “business address”, insert —“ “authorised representative”, in relation to a partnership (other than a limited liability partnership), means any person authorised to accept service of documents on behalf of the partnership;”;(g)in subsection (8), in the definition of “business address”, in paragraph (a), delete “, or place of employment,”; and(h)in subsection (8), replace the definition of “document” with —“ “document” excludes the following documents:(a)any document to be served in proceedings in court;(b)any document to be served on the Government or a public authority;(c)a demand note mentioned in section 23(2);(d)a notice mentioned in section 26(1)(c);”.

In the principal Act, after section 61, insert —“Service of demand notes61A.—(1) A demand note may be served as described in this section.(2) A demand note may be served on a person —(a)by giving it to the person personally;(b)by sending it by prepaid registered post to the address specified by the person generally for the service of documents permitted or required by or under this Act to be served, or specifically for the service of demand notes;(c)if no address mentioned in paragraph (b) is so specified, by sending it by prepaid registered post to —(i)the person’s residential address;(ii)the person’s business address; or(iii)any correspondence address provided by the person —(A)in relation to the administration of this Act; or(B)in accordance with regulations made under section 64;(d)by leaving it at the person’s residential address with an adult person apparently resident there, or at the person’s business address with an adult person apparently employed there;(e)by affixing a copy of the demand note in a conspicuous place at the person’s residential address or business address;(f)by sending it by fax to the fax number given by the person generally for the service of documents permitted or required by or under this Act to be served, or specifically for the service of demand notes; or(g)by sending it by email in any manner provided in subsection (3).(3) For the purposes of subsection (2)(g), a demand note may be served on a person (A) —(a)by sending it by email to the last email address given by A to the recovery body as the email address for the service of demand notes under this Act, if A has given prior written consent to service in this manner; or(b)by sending it by email to an email address of A, if —(i)the recovery body sends A an email at that email address;(ii)the email contains a prominent notice stating —(A)that if A sends any reply to the recovery body from that email address, A is treated as consenting to service of any demand note on A by sending it by email to that email address; and(B)that A may, at any time, give the recovery body a notice in writing —(BA)refusing service of any demand note on A by email at that email address; and(BB)specifying a valid address or valid email address at which A may be served with a demand note;(iii)A sends a reply to the recovery body from that email address and does not give the recovery body the notice mentioned in sub‑paragraph (ii)(B) in that reply; and(iv)in the period between the date A sends the reply and the date immediately before the day the demand note is served (both dates inclusive), A does not give the recovery body the notice mentioned in sub‑paragraph (ii)(B).(4) Service of a demand note on a person under this section takes effect —(a)if the demand note is sent by fax and a notification of successful transmission is received, on the day of transmission;(b)if the demand note is sent by email, at the time that the email becomes capable of being retrieved by the person; and(c)if the demand note is sent by prepaid registered post, 2 days after the day the demand note was posted (even if it is returned undelivered).(5) In addition, the Minister may by regulations made under section 64 prescribe, in relation to an electronic service of a recovery body, that despite anything in the relevant written law, the provisions of the relevant written law (so far as relevant) apply in relation to the service by the recovery body of a demand note under this Act using the electronic service as they apply to the service of documents permitted or required to be served using the electronic service under the relevant written law, with any exceptions, modifications and adaptations that may be prescribed.(6) Service of a demand note in accordance with any relevant written law as applied by regulations made for the purpose of subsection (5) takes effect at the time when an electronic record of it enters the person’s account with the electronic service.(7) This section does not affect the service of a demand note in accordance with any other written law or in any manner agreed by the person to be served.(8) In this section —“business address” and “residential address” have the meanings given by section 61(8);“demand note” means a demand note mentioned in section 23(2);“electronic service”, in relation to a recovery body, means —(a)if the recovery body is the Board — the electronic service platform provided under section 74(1) of the CPF Act, if prescribed as an electronic service for the purposes of this section;(b)if the recovery body is IRAS — the system established under section 29(1) of the Inland Revenue Authority of Singapore Act 1992, if prescribed as an electronic service for the purposes of this section; and(c)if the recovery body is any other public authority appointed as a recovery body under section 30 — any system established under any written law that enables the public authority to serve any document, if prescribed as an electronic service for the purposes of this section;“relevant written law”, in relation to an electronic service, means —(a)if the electronic service is the electronic service platform provided under section 74(1) of the CPF Act — the CPF Act and any subsidiary legislation mentioned in section 74(4) or (5) of that Act;(b)if the electronic service is the system established under section 29(1) of the Inland Revenue Authority of Singapore Act 1992 — any provision or subsidiary legislation mentioned in paragraph (a) or (c) of the definition of “relevant tax legislation” (for any document or information permitted or required by or under such legislation to be served or given) in section 29(7) of that Act; and(c)in any other case —(i)the written law under which the electronic service is established; and(ii)any written law that provides for the procedure for the use of the electronic service, the circumstances in which a document may be served through the electronic service, and the manner in which a person who has been served a document through the electronic service is to be notified of such service.”.

A demand note may be served as described in this section.

“business address” and “residential address” have the meanings given by section 61(8);

“demand note” means a demand note mentioned in section 23(2);

“electronic service”, in relation to a recovery body, means —(a)if the recovery body is the Board — the electronic service platform provided under section 74(1) of the CPF Act, if prescribed as an electronic service for the purposes of this section;(b)if the recovery body is IRAS — the system established under section 29(1) of the Inland Revenue Authority of Singapore Act 1992, if prescribed as an electronic service for the purposes of this section; and(c)if the recovery body is any other public authority appointed as a recovery body under section 30 — any system established under any written law that enables the public authority to serve any document, if prescribed as an electronic service for the purposes of this section;

“relevant written law”, in relation to an electronic service, means —(a)if the electronic service is the electronic service platform provided under section 74(1) of the CPF Act — the CPF Act and any subsidiary legislation mentioned in section 74(4) or (5) of that Act;(b)if the electronic service is the system established under section 29(1) of the Inland Revenue Authority of Singapore Act 1992 — any provision or subsidiary legislation mentioned in paragraph (a) or (c) of the definition of “relevant tax legislation” (for any document or information permitted or required by or under such legislation to be served or given) in section 29(7) of that Act; and(c)in any other case —(i)the written law under which the electronic service is established; and(ii)any written law that provides for the procedure for the use of the electronic service, the circumstances in which a document may be served through the electronic service, and the manner in which a person who has been served a document through the electronic service is to be notified of such service.”.

A demand note may be served on a person —(a)by giving it to the person personally;(b)by sending it by prepaid registered post to the address specified by the person generally for the service of documents permitted or required by or under this Act to be served, or specifically for the service of demand notes;(c)if no address mentioned in paragraph (b) is so specified, by sending it by prepaid registered post to —(i)the person’s residential address;(ii)the person’s business address; or(iii)any correspondence address provided by the person —(A)in relation to the administration of this Act; or(B)in accordance with regulations made under section 64;(d)by leaving it at the person’s residential address with an adult person apparently resident there, or at the person’s business address with an adult person apparently employed there;(e)by affixing a copy of the demand note in a conspicuous place at the person’s residential address or business address;(f)by sending it by fax to the fax number given by the person generally for the service of documents permitted or required by or under this Act to be served, or specifically for the service of demand notes; or(g)by sending it by email in any manner provided in subsection (3).

For the purposes of subsection (2)(g), a demand note may be served on a person (A) —(a)by sending it by email to the last email address given by A to the recovery body as the email address for the service of demand notes under this Act, if A has given prior written consent to service in this manner; or(b)by sending it by email to an email address of A, if —(i)the recovery body sends A an email at that email address;(ii)the email contains a prominent notice stating —(A)that if A sends any reply to the recovery body from that email address, A is treated as consenting to service of any demand note on A by sending it by email to that email address; and(B)that A may, at any time, give the recovery body a notice in writing —(BA)refusing service of any demand note on A by email at that email address; and(BB)specifying a valid address or valid email address at which A may be served with a demand note;(iii)A sends a reply to the recovery body from that email address and does not give the recovery body the notice mentioned in sub‑paragraph (ii)(B) in that reply; and(iv)in the period between the date A sends the reply and the date immediately before the day the demand note is served (both dates inclusive), A does not give the recovery body the notice mentioned in sub‑paragraph (ii)(B).

Service of a demand note on a person under this section takes effect —(a)if the demand note is sent by fax and a notification of successful transmission is received, on the day of transmission;(b)if the demand note is sent by email, at the time that the email becomes capable of being retrieved by the person; and(c)if the demand note is sent by prepaid registered post, 2 days after the day the demand note was posted (even if it is returned undelivered).

In addition, the Minister may by regulations made under section 64 prescribe, in relation to an electronic service of a recovery body, that despite anything in the relevant written law, the provisions of the relevant written law (so far as relevant) apply in relation to the service by the recovery body of a demand note under this Act using the electronic service as they apply to the service of documents permitted or required to be served using the electronic service under the relevant written law, with any exceptions, modifications and adaptations that may be prescribed.

Service of a demand note in accordance with any relevant written law as applied by regulations made for the purpose of subsection (5) takes effect at the time when an electronic record of it enters the person’s account with the electronic service.

This section does not affect the service of a demand note in accordance with any other written law or in any manner agreed by the person to be served.

In this section —

In the principal Act, in section 63 —(a)in the section heading, replace “First Schedule” with “First and Fourth Schedules”; and(b)in subsection (1), after “First Schedule”, insert “or Fourth Schedule”.

In the principal Act, in the First Schedule —(a)replace “daily activities” with “activities of daily living”;(b)in sub‑paragraph (e), after “moving”, insert a comma; and(c)in sub‑paragraph (e), after “on”, insert “a”.

In the principal Act, after the Third Schedule, insert —“FOURTH SCHEDULESections 2(1) and 63(1)Meaning of not disabledIn this Act, a person is not disabled only if he or she can perform all of the following activities of daily living without assistance all the time:(a)washing himself or herself in the bath or shower (including getting into or out of the bath or shower), or washing himself or herself by other means;(b)dressing and undressing himself or herself, or (where required) securing or fastening on, or removing from, his or her body any brace, artificial limb or other medical or surgical appliance;(c)feeding himself or herself;(d)toileting, or managing his or her bladder and bowel functions through the use of a protective undergarment or surgical appliance (where required);(e)walking, or moving, from one room to another or on a level surface;(f)transferring himself or herself, or moving, from a bed to an upright chair or a wheelchair, and vice versa.”.

For a period of 2 years after the date of commencement of any provision of this Act, the Minister may, by regulations, prescribe any provision of a saving or transitional nature consequent on the enactment of that provision that the Minister may consider necessary or expedient.

“FOURTH SCHEDULESections 2(1) and 63(1)Meaning of not disabledIn this Act, a person is not disabled only if he or she can perform all of the following activities of daily living without assistance all the time:(a)washing himself or herself in the bath or shower (including getting into or out of the bath or shower), or washing himself or herself by other means;(b)dressing and undressing himself or herself, or (where required) securing or fastening on, or removing from, his or her body any brace, artificial limb or other medical or surgical appliance;(c)feeding himself or herself;(d)toileting, or managing his or her bladder and bowel functions through the use of a protective undergarment or surgical appliance (where required);(e)walking, or moving, from one room to another or on a level surface;(f)transferring himself or herself, or moving, from a bed to an upright chair or a wheelchair, and vice versa.”.