According to the Ministry of Health (MOH) of the government of Singapore, More than $64 million was given to needy patients under the Medifund scheme in 2009.

The figure is 9 per cent or $5.3 million more than about $59 million disbursed in 2008 under the scheme. The Medifund scheme was extended to subsidized patients in the 11 private nursing homes for the fist time, where portable subsidy scheme assisted patients who couldn't pay their bills.

About 90 per cent of the Medifund assistance went to patients with acute ailments while the other went to patients receiving intermediate and long-term care. Elderly patients received about $18.9 million or a third of the overall aid, compared to $2.2 million or 13.2 per cent more than in 2008.

The ministry has been trying to provide targeted assistance to elderly patients with Medifund Silver, which is a part of Medifund. Medifund Silver is aimed at patients above 65 years of age.

About 393,980 or 99 per cent of the total successful applications for Medifund assistance were approved last year, according to a spokesperson of MOH. The fund now stands at $1.7 billion and the government will inject further $200 million this year.