Haze Subsidy Scheme ends on 12 November after 160,000 visits: S$10 clinic visits until 11 November

The Haze Subsidy Scheme ends on 12 November 2026. The Ministry of Health said on 5 November that it will switch off both the scheme and the Public Health Preparedness Clinic (PHPC) Scheme from that date, because the haze situation has improved and the National Environment Agency (NEA) expects a low chance of transboundary haze for the rest of the year.

If you or your parents still have a haze cough, itchy eyes or a flare-up of asthma, you have a few days left to see a doctor at the capped price. Wednesday 11 November is the last day before the switch-off takes effect.

Haze Subsidy Scheme ends after more than 160,000 visits

The scheme started on 12 October 2026, the first time it had been switched on since 2015. In under three weeks, it was used heavily.

• More than 1,300 GP clinics signed up as PHPCs
• More than 100,000 subsidised visits were made at PHPCs as of 31 October
• About 60,000 more were made at polyclinics over the same period

Those numbers are preliminary. GP clinics have up to one month and polyclinics up to four months after each visit to file claims, so the final count will go up. For scale, MOH’s FAQ says around 77,000 Singaporeans benefited from the scheme for the whole of 2015.

That is a lot of sniffles. It shows how many households leaned on the capped fee while the PSI sat in the unhealthy range for days in late October.

What the subsidy covers until 11 November

Fees for haze-related conditions are capped for Singapore Citizens. At polyclinics, every citizen qualifies. At participating GP clinics, you need to fall into one of the eligible groups.

• S$0 out of pocket for Public Assistance cardholders
• No more than S$5 for Pioneer Generation and Merdeka Generation seniors
• No more than S$10 for other eligible citizens, or the total bill if that is lower

At GP clinics, the eligible groups are children aged 18 and below, seniors aged 65 and above, and citizens on Public Assistance, Pioneer Generation, Merdeka Generation, CHAS Blue or Orange, or the Medical Fee Exemption Card. No GST is added on top of these fees.

The conditions covered are allergic rhinitis, asthma, bronchitis, conjunctivitis, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), upper respiratory tract infections and their complications. It is your doctor who judges if the illness is linked to the haze. Masks are not covered, and you can only claim the subsidy for one visit a day.

How to use it before it ends

1. Look for a participating GP on GPGoWhere, or spot the PHPC decal or the Haze Subsidy Scheme poster at the clinic door
2. Bring your NRIC, birth certificate or student ID, plus your CHAS, Pioneer, Merdeka or Public Assistance card (physical or digital) if you have one
3. Ask about teleconsultation, which MOH says can be subsidised where clinically appropriate
4. Go before Thursday 12 November, when the scheme stops

Plan around the long weekend. Monday 9 November is the Deepavali public holiday, and many neighbourhood clinics will close or run shorter hours, so call ahead. Polyclinics can also get crowded on the first working day after a holiday.

One more tip for families: a child’s visit counts as long as it happens before their 19th birthday, and a senior qualifies from the day they turn 65. If your company covers outpatient bills, MOH says you can still claim the haze subsidy first and let your employer’s medical benefits pick up the rest.

What happens after 12 November

From 12 November, a haze-related visit is charged as a normal consultation. CHAS cardholders can still use their usual CHAS subsidies for eligible conditions, and polyclinic patients pay standard subsidised rates.

The scheme can be switched on again if haze returns. MOH’s FAQ says it will announce any activation, and the latest air quality readings are on haze.gov.sg. If you are still feeling run-down after weeks of bad air, our guide to haze stress and free support lists where to get help.

For background, we covered the scheme’s return on 12 October and the inter-monsoon rain that cleared the air. Lowkey, it is a relief to see a haze scheme end because the sky is blue again, not because the money ran out.

MOH’s haze page has the full health advisory. Questions on the scheme go to the MOH hotline at 6325 9220 during office hours.