Singapore legislation
Regulation 18
of Healthcare Services (Emergency Ambulance Service and Medical Transport Service) Regulations 2022
Regulation 18
Price transparency
Subregulation 1
A licensee must ensure that the charges payable for the components of an applicable service provided by the licensee, and any higher charges for any component of the applicable service payable by any class of patient, are displayed or made available —
in every approved emergency ambulance or approved medical transport, as the case may be; and
if the licensee has an Internet website, a blog or a page on any social media or social network Internet website — on that Internet website or blog or page on that social media or social network Internet website.
Subregulation 2
For the purposes of paragraph (1), the components of an applicable service provided by the licensee are the following:
base fee for the applicable service;
medication;
the use of any equipment, such as equipment for continuous monitoring of the patient’s condition while being conveyed by the licensee;
consumables;
additional charges, if any.
Subregulation 3
The licensee must, as far as reasonably practicable before dispatching any approved emergency ambulance or approved medical transport (as the case may be) to convey a patient —
obtain from the patient or the next of kin or carer of the patient (A) all information relating to the patient’s condition; and
having regard to the information mentioned in sub‑paragraph (a), provide A with an estimate of the charges mentioned in paragraph (1).
Subregulation 4
The licensee must, before a patient is or while a patient is conveyed by an approved emergency ambulance or approved medical transport, obtain written acknowledgment, signed by A, that A has been informed of the estimate of the charges mentioned in paragraph (3)(b).
Subregulation 5
Paragraph (6) applies where, immediately before a patient is or while a patient is being conveyed by an approved emergency ambulance or approved medical transport —
the licensee, after assessing the patient’s medical condition, reasonably concludes that the patient requires additional or different care or monitoring; and
higher or additional charges are payable for the additional or different care or monitoring mentioned in sub‑paragraph (a).
Subregulation 6
The licensee —
must, as far as reasonably practicable —
inform the patient or the next of kin or carer of the patient (B) of the higher or additional charges payable for the additional or different care or monitoring mentioned in paragraph (5)(a) and the basis for those charges; and
obtain written acknowledgment, signed by B, that B has been informed of the higher or additional charges payable;
must not (directly or indirectly) influence, persuade or coerce, or attempt to influence, persuade or coerce, B to agree to the higher or additional charges; and
where B does not agree to the higher or additional charges — must not refuse to convey or continue conveying the patient without first making appropriate alternative arrangements for the safe and timely conveyance of the patient.
Subregulation 7
The licensee must submit to the Director-General any information on or in relation to the charges mentioned in paragraph (1) as the Director-General may require —
in the licensee’s application to renew the licensee’s licence to provide the applicable service; and
at any other time or at the frequency specified by the Director-General.