6/02/2007

Means testing already in practice?

Is this true? Mrs Yeun Yik Kwong wrote to the ST forum page on her personal encounter with means testing at a polyclinic. All we have been hearing is that means testing is still an option in govt hospitals. OK, polyclinic may technically not be a hospital, it is a clinic. So has means testing been introduced into polyclinics and not in hospitals? Whether it is introduced in polyclinics or hospitals, would it make a difference that means testing is already in practice? What is the truth? Administratively it is brilliant, worthy of the high pay for talented minds. If a referral from a polyclinic is the first door to a hospital admission, and if this door is closed, no further need for means testing in hospitals. Now is this true or false? Simply brilliant.

14 comments:

Anonymous said...

They are probably conducting a test run to see the reaction.

Anonymous said...

A first means to see how mean they're going to be.. ;P

Anonymous said...

Means testing, whether in the main door, back door or thru the side door is a necessary filter for the distribution of critical public resources. In as much as you dont want wealthy millionaires buying up the 3 rooms to feed the current demand from rent starved expats, a mechanism must be set up in public medical instituitions to weed out the undeserving and the opportunistic.


I think the concern should be on the formula used in the testing rather than the practice itself.

Anonymous said...

The problem is, who sets the formula? If it is to conserve critical public resources, it is bound to work as Singapore Inc. once again, bottom-line priority. It's just like, who sets the salary benchmarks? The one sitting on the bench of course!

Anonymous said...

If not the one sitting on the bench, who then?

In a monopolistic place, the boss determines the wages, you got no say and those that talk too much, get fired or beaten up. That is common sense.

You mentioned Singapore Inc., but this place is only as unique as the people wants it to be, for who is to blamed when there are no credible opposition in the benches to talk and argue about the problems and priorities at the place. Surely not the government.

Anonymous said...

I guess we have only ourselves to blame, for not making the right choices.

Anonymous said...

It is not as if there were much choices.

Would you choose a disturbed public screamer of where is the money? or one who talks incessantly abt far away places like Myanmar which I dun even know or care to know its whereabts, or discuss grand noble issues like human rights or act out Gandhi type hunger strikes on tv? I wouldnt. I dun care if they climb Raffles Tower spider man style or jump parachuteless from the sky, the fact that I am not a drama addict wont change.

They used to make fiery speeches at Anson like some kind of possessed toastmaster gurus, making loud snaring noises while repeatedly thumbing the skies and looking more animated than Tom Cruise. These may be de rigeur in other third world cities but I dun believe we need that sort of entertainment here. I personally think these are rubbish, trash.

If I want to watch a good movie, I go GV.

Chua Chin Leng aka redbean said...

have we learn anything from the nkf? saving a huge hoard for the rainy day to come and stinging on the patients who needed help immediately?

we have a hoard of $200 billion, can we be more generous in providing cheaper health care for the people? the people, or anyone having a household income of less than $5k a month must fear the hospital bills even with all the insurance and medisave. it needs only one hospitalisation to wipe out the entire savings and even settle them in debts. we are talking about bills in $50k, $100k or more.

how many peasants have that kind of money to spend? $1k a day, one month is already $30k.

no joke my friend. all the simple peasants have been awaken by the ridiculous numbers and are frantically trying to conserve what ever few dollars they have in their medisave. no one is so thoughtless to want to expend all their medisave in one hospitalisation.

the means testing, so far the number quoted, is to curtail those with $3k household income. how can this be adequate?

anyway my objection to this is that people must be allowed to choose how much they want to waste and the govt must not demand that the people spend their money according to the govt's dictate.

i don't need and don't want to eat sharksfin. and is it wrong for anyone to want to hold on to his hard earned savings?

Anonymous said...

Those with the means shouldnt be worried abt the means test.

Anonymous said...

people must be allowed to choose how much they want to waste and the govt must not demand that the people spend their money according to the govt's dictate



This is a flawed logic, think abt it.

Chua Chin Leng aka redbean said...

i have replied in the market economy and consumer choice thread.

Anonymous said...

Oh Redbean, you are been misleaded !
$200 billions belong to Lee's family members not Singaporean !

It is Lee's "full of love and compassionate kindness" to use their money to help Singaporean and we should thank the greatest LIAR on earth instead !

Redbean, we should love PAP for that !

Chua Chin Leng aka redbean said...

anonymous,

you are so cruel. every day and night i always seek comfort in believing that i am a part owner of the $200 billion. it was such a nice feeling.

why must you shatter my dreams?

Anonymous said...

Because Redbean, U ARE a part of the Not stupid Sengkapolians mah!
How can hv this type of sticky dream? :)