Insurers want all patients to pay part of hospital bills

ocs_woodlands

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Like your comments. Todays doctor is worse then business man, they try to take what ever they can.
But opposite end also play important part. Do not always think Medi save is not your money and try to spend what ever you have. Thats also your hard earn money and not to forget, you get 4% or more interest for those you save!

Yup. So far for the once or twice in my life when I had the opportunity to use my medisave, I have declined to use it. I use CC instead. Can earn miles plus 4%...:)
 

BBCWatcher

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1) Singapore run out of hospital beds for Singaporeans is true (as reported in newspapers).
I haven't seen any recent reports of that sort, probably because the supply of hospital beds has expanded and is expanding at a fairly robust clip. The opening of Ng Teng Fong in late 2015 added many acute care beds, and Farrer Park Hospital (a private institution) added a couple hundred more in 2016. Sengkang General is opening later this year (2018), adding another 1,000 beds. The first phase of a new Woodlands hospital should open in 2022 (with an eventual build out to 1,800 beds). Community hospital beds doubled from 2011 to 2016.

2) Singaporeans have to wait up to 8 weeks to see Singapore public hospital specialists is also true (as attested by many Singaporeans).
Maybe, but if it's not a medical emergency or urgency, if the specialist visit is heavily government subsidized, and if you're not willing to visit another specialist at another facility, an up to 8 week wait for an appointment doesn't sound all that unreasonable, actually.

Is is because of priority given to foreigners and medical tourists who pay private rate in public hospitals....
I've seen no evidence of that.
 

agau168

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Immoral money-greedy doctors are reminded to be moral when it comes to charging insured patients fairly. Doctors should not abuse their power over ignorant and sick patients whose lives depend on their actions.

These immoral money-hungry doctors who are better off working in Wall Street are responsible for the rising medical premiums.

http://www.straitstimes.com/singapo...eir-actions-in-wake-of-hefty-and-questionable

SINGAPORE - The Singapore Medical Council (SMC) has sent a circular to doctors reminding them of their role in helping keep healthcare costs down.

The reminder, it said, comes in the wake of recent scrutiny of healthcare insurance and unreasonable practices and fees. The SMC also alluded to media coverage of "hefty and questionable insurance claims".

The SMC also reminded doctors not to subject a patient to unnecessary test or procedures just because of the fees the doctor can charge, as this may be a breach of his ethical obligations.

"Doctors must not recommend hospitalisation where there is no clinical justification to do so and for the primary purpose of charging higher fees. Such conduct may constitute overservicing and/or overcharging."

Discussing the issue, Senior Minister of State for Health Chee Hong Tat had told Parliament: "Some of the examples of overconsumption and overservicing are - to put it plainly - disturbing."

He cited one case where a patient fully covered by his health insurance, "made claims for 12 nose scopes in a year, without clear medical need".

There were also cases where a patient was admitted for one problem, but was then seen by a host of other, unrelated specialists for scans and tests, chalking up bills "up to $25,000 for a hospital stay that was less than 24 hours!"

In yet another example, Mr Chee said one woman had run up a bill of more than $70,000 to remove a small breast lump. The procedure generally costs $5,000 in the private sector.
 

yohjun

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There are no allegations here!

We all know that:
1) Singapore run out of hospital beds for Singaporeans is true (as reported in newspapers).

2) Singaporeans have to wait up to 8 weeks to see Singapore public hospital specialists is also true (as attested by many Singaporeans).

So, then the question here is: What is causing all these problems? Is is because of priority given to foreigners and medical tourists who pay private rate in public hospitals (given that somebody mentioned about public hospitals are attractive to medical tourists and/or providing services to them and charging below private hospitals - when they can't even cope with attending to Singaporeans)? Or what? :s22:


I once went to a doctor at CGH only to be asked to wait 3 hours to get a referral of a waiting time of 4 months. Quite efficient restructured hospitals. Hmm.
 

Mergui219067

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Don’t anyhow point fingers at the govt hospitals .
MOH & govt hospitals would shoot you with stats .
They do not receive any subsidies & A Class patients.

Go to those B1-C classes & see if many look
like Middle Eastern or Indonesians.

Are you sure about this?
Is this the reason why Singapore run out of hospital beds for Singaporeans and Singaporeans have to wait up to 8 weeks to see Singapore public hospital specialists? :eek:
 

Mergui219067

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The truth is out.
‘I paid & I don’t care attitude’ for those in the
scheme.
The private hospital doctors 不赚白不赚 &
the patients 不關我的錢包.

Would you kpkb if it was 100% your own cash ? And you would have written to the mass media / SMC / SMA / MOH ? :o

I not bo chup..but insurance pay...I mean, why would I want to spend my time and effort to dispute ..I will be a stupid idiot to do that to save money for the insurer to win and I lose time and effort.
 

sgdividends

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The truth is out.
‘I paid & I don’t care attitude’ for those in the
scheme.
The private hospital doctors 不赚白不赚 &
the patients 不關我的錢包.

Would you kpkb if it was 100% your own cash ? And you would have written to the mass media / SMC / SMA / MOH ? :o

Of cos I will.kpkb if my own money. It's natural. I rather spend time with my family.
 

mizarahi

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Public hospital crunch yet we are building more A & B wards. Look at NTF hospital. Like resort and got balcony. Atas looking.
 

sgdividends

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Public hospital crunch yet we are building more A & B wards. Look at NTF hospital. Like resort and got balcony. Atas looking.

I think the crunch is more in doctors..when I was young , I went to government hospital despite having private shield, but must wait 3 months for surgery...I damn Sian went private, and I did it the next day with the same doctor inwas supposed to wait for!!!

Bed crunch yes...but the bottleneck is doctors!

Now I just go private hospital immediately..

Because of my experience , can I still be blamed for going private ?
 
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blurpandasg2014

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I haven't seen any recent reports of that sort, probably because the supply of hospital beds has expanded and is expanding at a fairly robust clip. The opening of Ng Teng Fong in late 2015 added many acute care beds, and Farrer Park Hospital (a private institution) added a couple hundred more in 2016. Sengkang General is opening later this year (2018), adding another 1,000 beds. The first phase of a new Woodlands hospital should open in 2022 (with an eventual build out to 1,800

Bed crunch is real and patients really do wait up to 8hrs or more. I am speaking from first hand experience; working at one of the public hosp .

And another truth is that even if new institutions open, ppl prefer the older institutions for various reasons and the most common being that the old institutions have their medical record (old ppl thinking :s22:). Besides, newer institutions DO NOT have certain specialty which again means patients would be sent back to the more established institutions for treatment
 

sgdividends

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Bed crunch is real and patients really do wait up to 8hrs or more. I am speaking from first hand experience; working at one of the public hosp .

And another truth is that even if new institutions open, ppl prefer the older institutions for various reasons and the most common being that the old institutions have their medical record (old ppl thinking :s22:). Besides, newer institutions DO NOT have certain specialty which again means patients would be sent back to the more established institutions for treatment

Guys and gals, have too many beds with no doctors also useless...could just stay at home better.. on own bed..

If got a lot of doctors, and too little beds, can the worst case do house visits ( for simple case)
 

Mergui219067

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Medical knowledge is always loop sided.
Many of those , esp insurance-pay-everything bo chap type care less .

Simple cases like HFMD , when it is basically fluid & some pain relief.
But with no-$-out of-my-pocket & the private doctor knows that instead of an outpatient, may easily influence some kumgong parents to get the child admitted.
More fee for the private hospital,the doctor &
parents’ pocket-not-touched ,皆大歡喜 !
 

Mergui219067

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The private hospital admin & the private clinic
doctors can easily influence,do more / admit more to fill up their pockets & hospital beds.

Many bo chap / blur blur end up treated with
unnecessary op / scans.
Admit ‘for observation’ .

Some patients nowadays are smart enough
to get 2nd / 3rd opinions .
And you see a few ‘famous’ private doctors like Ang Peng Tiam ( treated PM’s lymphoma )
got sued .

Invested in stocks like IHH & RMG last few years, good luck !
 

localking86

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But hor, why is it okay for property agents to get fat commission and not for doctors to earn? Its a job leh.
 

localking86

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i think if u need to wait, u are prob not emergency. Hence if u want it fast then have to pay. Public hospital dont play when u are emergency
 
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