SINGAPORE - Having more doctors on the panels of Integrated Shield Plans is on the cards but they cannot expect default fees at the upper end of fee benchmarks set by the Ministry of Health (MOH), as this may lead to higher claim costs and consequently, premiums, said the Life Insurance Association (LIA) Singapore on Friday (April 2). In its second response to a position statement on IPs released by the Singapore Medical Association (SMA) nearly a week ago, LIA Singapore reiterated the link between an increased number of doctors and higher claims. "If insurers recklessly increase panels, premiums will rise significantly, but if we increase the panel sizes in a careful manner, while paying the doctors reasonable fees, then the impact on premiums can be muted," said a spokesman from LIA Singapore. The SMA has expressed unhappiness at the limited number of private specialists on IP panels, and the fact that they are mostly paid at the lower end of the fee benchmarks. SMA argues that their costs are rising because of greater management expenses and commission costs for insurers, rather than higher claims. LIA Singapore's point is that insurers' costs went up in the short term, but this...