AIA Singapore will introduce enhancements to its corporate employee benefits insurance from 1 August 2026, expanding access to healthcare services in Singapore and Malaysia at no additional premium cost.
The insurer said the changes will cover more than one million corporate insured members, equivalent to around one-third of Singapore's workforce.
The enhancements come as medical inflation and healthcare costs continue to rise, with the aim of improving access to treatment whilst reducing administrative processes for employees and their dependants.
Under the changes, employees with inpatient medical cover will be able to receive planned treatment at selected hospitals in Malaysia using a Letter of Guarantee (LOG) Plus.
Employees with dental benefits will also gain access to selected dental clinics in major Malaysian shopping malls by presenting a digital AIA Dental Card, allowing them to receive treatment without upfront payment.
In Singapore, employees covered under eligible corporate policies will no longer need a general practitioner referral to visit specialist outpatient clinics at public hospitals from 1 August.
The insurer said the change is intended to speed up access for members with known or recurring medical conditions.
AIA Singapore is also introducing a fully digital pre-authorisation process through its AIA+ mobile app and web portal.
In addition, employees will have round-the-clock access to general practitioner teleconsultations through the WhiteCoat app, including prescription delivery services.
Mr Kenneth Tan, Chief Corporate Solutions Officer at AIA Singapore, said the enhancements respond to concerns over rising healthcare costs.
He cited the insurer's latest AIA Live Better Study, which found that 34% of Singapore residents are worried about healthcare affordability and 29% expect to spend more on medical expenses.
"By extending corporate medical access across the border into Malaysia and removing General Practitioner (GP) referral requirements at zero additional premium cost, we are directly shielding more than 1 million employees in Singapore from rising costs while streamlining their day-to-day healthcare journeys," Tan said.
The insurer said the new benefits will be applied automatically to eligible corporate insurance policies at no additional premium, reported Insurance Asia.