High health cost in Singapore has led to many bad consequenc

last SG · 2008-06-15T01:16:03+00:00

Hi everyone, to share the information for those who need to see a specialist.Based on my experience, when you are sick and need to see a specialist, you can...

wisefool83 SG

Agrees with fymk on most parts. Singapore's medical bills are expensive, but its not totally unaffordable. My Mum was recently diagnoised with Leukaemia and I've learnt from my recent visits and interactions with other patients that many poor Singaporeans are getting very good medical attention. Many patients with cases similar to my mum for example, could only afford to pay C class, which carries a 75% subsidy, but the hospital will find one reason or another to bump them up into B class wards at C class price so they can be more comfortable. My mum, has been bumped into B1 and even A ward for various reasons. There is plently of compassion within SGH and is not as cruel as many forumers had portrayed.

Hospital generally adopt a treat first and pay later rule. My mum has received 2 months plus of treatment and has not received a bill yet. Even when the bill comes, it specifies that you pay when you are convenient. No doubt they will take actions to get their money back, but it is not beyond humanitarianism. There is also a social network in Singapore that can afford financial assistance such as the "Clan Society", various illness has their own social help network, the usual meet the MP and such. I've partake in volunteer work every now and then and hence I do know the existence of such groups and its not that there are not enough to go around to help, but those who need help are often also the ones who are ignorance of the existence of these groups.

If you are seriously in need of medical help, go get it. Seriously, the money problem can be left later. If you are healthy and able to, get an insurance, it really helps.

kangyk SG

anyway, i felt pitiful for Singaporeans like us to suffer without much social help from the government. henceforth, i would like to make a point to the health ministry to relook at the cost of medicine, treatment. we would like to change the paradigm of that we can die but we cannot fall sick because of the medicine and treatment.

lotus999 SG

If you guys want to talk about rising medical costs leading to whatever ( I know that there is rising medical costs everywhere) , please keep those news clippings about Mount Elizabeth or Gleneagles out - those are totally privatised hospitals who charge a premium for services or else it defeats your purpose in arguing for healthcare for those who really cannot afford it. They are also private enterprises who want to maximise profits and the government has no control over how they operate as long as they abide by the regulations.

generally true but unfortunately nowadays some of the procedures at gahmen hospitals are more expensive than private hospitals!

bryanw SG

got extra service a not

got special. nurse and patient.

deathmaster SG

You are abusing the A&E and you are complaining about the price? Accident and Emergency is meant for people who have heart attacks or got hit by a car or was involved in something totally unexpected. You are tying up the healthcare staff's time by abusing it when they could see someone who have a more urgent problem.

When I was in Singapore back then , I was admitted to the hospital ward via A&E for suspected appendicitis - it appears that they do not charge IF it is an actual EMERGENCY.

If you have a fever next time , take a paracetamol, turn on the fan and drink alot of water. Like you said , it is so much cheaper. If your fever hits 39.0 c and refuses to go down after 1 hour, you vomit blood or have a seizure, then I say that is an emergency.

so, would you call sustained fever, hovering around 38 C and above for more than 1 week as emergency? my gp called me to ask me go A&E for blood test, in case tio dengue.

over at a&e, doc den say is viral fever, which will last for 14 days. wth....

deathmaster SG

got extra service a not

depends on what extra service you want. got money can alr.

but u got energy for anything after surgery meh?

eagle SG

depends on what extra service you want. got money can alr.

but u got energy for anything after surgery meh?

room service

like hotel like that, can call to order food that kind of service. After surgery need more food to replenish

fymk SG

so, would you call sustained fever, hovering around 38 C and above for more than 1 week as emergency? my gp called me to ask me go A&E for blood test, in case tio dengue.

over at a&e, doc den say is viral fever, which will last for 14 days. wth....

Usually a GP would have referred you to a specialist or written a referral letter to the hospital which is cheaper than the A&E cost. He could have also sent you for laboratory testing if you had persistent fever for at least 3 days and suspected you of dengue fever. There is a way around waiting for the actual test for dengue confirmation- it is your platelet count and such tests usually can take about half an hour to an hour to process if it is urgent.

You might need to talk to your GP next time if he suspects you of dengue fever or anything else because a simple referral letter stating that he thinks it is an emergency might be able to save you from the charges. That is just my advice.

deathmaster SG

room service

like hotel like that, can call to order food that kind of service. After surgery need more food to replenish

4 star hotel of course have room service lah.

but anyway, rgdless of what kind of service, you got the strength or appetite meh? most people just spend their whole post surgery period resting or sleeping.

oxford mushroom SG

Medical costs will only go up because we can do much more than before and our medical professionals have internationally recognized qualifications and so demand similar level of pay as heir western counterparts. Is it worthwhile to pay $10k a month for as long as a cancer patient lives to increase his survival by 3 months? Singaporeans have to decide for themselves when to stop. Not everyone can afford to pay 50k to increase the survival benefit by 50%? Someone has to pay for healthcare costs. If not the patient, it will fall on the taxpayer.

whiskers SG

Someone has to pay for healthcare costs. If not the patient, it will fall on the taxpayer.

this is why singapore is aiming to be a medical hub of asia and middle east... Someone has to pay the bill, why nt let it be rich people from countries with nt so advance medical services in their own backyards.

Darth_Revan SG

Let's see what happens when someone close to you starts having cancer and what not. Then let's see who eats his words first. Are you willing to end the treatment just so you don't have to fork out 10K?

That aside, the problem with our health care is not just that it is expensive, there is a segment of the population who cannot afford to buy insurance with the proper coverage.

fymk SG

Urm why do you even think there is an advanced medical directive?

I am actually surprised that you claim to be a doctor. Any doctor will tell you quality of life is the primary consideration when it comes to advanced medical intervention. Age is a secondary consideration for obvious reasons.

As with curative treatments, there is a percentage of success. Most doctors will explain the benefits and risk, ....who are you really to tell a person who is probably someone's mother, father, sister, niece,aunt, uncle nephew, daughter, son,brother that the person can't try or hope for a cure when they may have a chance of survival for the next 5-10 years JUST because they cannot afford it.

oxford mushroom SG

Urm why do you even think there is an advanced medical directive?

I am surprised that you can claim to be a nurse when you cannot even understand that the AMD is about respecting patient autonomy and nothing to do with heakth economics. Or perhaps the long words are too difficult for you.

There is a price for modern medicine and not everyone can afford it. What is best treatment for the breast cancer patient in Medan may be considered inadequate in New York, but it's the best available given the Indonesian's circumstances. What kind of treatment the Singaporean gets must depend on what she can afford. The government should provide the level of treatment for the poor that society is prepared to pay or able to afford.

oxford mushroom SG

That aside, the problem with our health care is not just that it is expensive, there is a segment of the population who cannot afford to buy insurance with the proper coverage.

Each person has to make a personal decision as to what is worthwhile and when to throw in the towel. For those who cannot afford private medical insurance there is Medishield and Medifund. Of course that pays for a basic level of healthcare, a level at which Singaporeans are willing to support through their taxes.

£Ĭ€ڰ SG

High health cost in Singapore has led to many bad consequences.

I was in hospital recently and I witnessed a father who discharged his son for fearing of his inability to pay the medical bill as he has no Medisave.

I have also witnessed a foreign student who is also very worried about the high medical bill and requested for a discharge.

We are C Class patients

2 questions for you.

1) Did the hospital treat his son or was he left to die?

2) How sure are you that Singapore government didnt provide financial aid to the family?

Medifund

Midlusionz SG

2 questions for you.

1) Did the hospital treat his son or was he left to die?

2) How sure are you that Singapore government didnt provide financial aid to the family?

Medifund

U wanna try?

£Ĭ€ڰ SG

U wanna try?

Sorry, i am not a freeloader like you because I believe that Medifund should be given to people who need it.

mochou SG

remind me of some joke i saw somewhere, cant remember exactly, i list whatever i can remember, it about comparing theif and doctors.

Thieves can rob/steal whatever cash/valuables with you.
Doctors can take all your life savings, make you borrow money from others to give him.

Thieves cannot rob/steal you openly, they are afraid of getting caught by police.
Doctors charge you the way they want legally, not afraid of being caught.

Theives run from you once they got your stuffs.
Doctors stay there wait for you to give him your stuff again, and you will do so.

When you dont have anything to give the theives, the thieves lan lan get lost.
When you dont have anything to give the doctors, YOU lan lan get lost.

You can beat the hell out of the thieves(if you can and you dare), that’s legal self-defence.
You can beat the hell out of the doctors who charged you crazily, but that’s illegal.

Not all doctors got robbed by thieves before.
Somehow ALL theives has given their moeny to doctors before.

Midlusionz SG

Sorry, i am not a freeloader like you because I believe that Medifund should be given to people who need it.

Hmmm .. Freeloader? I will let others judge this ya. And i hope that u wun land in hospital or fall sick one day .. If u do pls remember wat u reply.

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