Why ElderShield is not bad for the young

In a commentary, SMU Associate Director Jiaming Ju and research fellow Jessica Ya Sun of the Centre for Research on the Economics of Ageing (CREA) highlighted the benefits, especially for the younger generation, of ElderShield insurance being mandatory. According to data compiled by CREA, among Singapore's elderly aged 50 to 70, 58 per cent suffer at least one chronic condition and 10 per cent have more than two conditions. They believe that it makes sense for young people to join an insurance scheme when premiums are still low. This is especially so when mandatory insurance schemes create a large enough group of people to pool the risk, and hence reduce the premiums for all. Such an insurance scheme forces the young to put aside a small pool of money for a rainy day, without affecting their current consumption habits.