1/08/2008

Serious flaws in the assumption on Mean Testing

Look at the numbers given on the charges incurred in B1 and B2 wards? $23,654 -$27,659 against $4,882 - $5,675 are what a patient paid. Any reasonable man will wet his pants knowing that this is what is going to cost him in B1 ward charges. His Medisave savings would not last more than one visit. How then can one blames anyone for trying to stinge and save as much money as possible in case he needs it or his family members need it? It is reckless for anyone to go for B1 and A wards to finish off his savings on one admission. And it is prudent and wise to opt for the cheaper wards. Then there is this assumption that the guy earning $10k a month will continue to earn that amount forever. He may lose his job for any weird reasons. And the self employed's income is variable. One month good and 9 months bad. I find it unbelieveable to hear that people are being demanded to spend all they can and forget about the rainy day or when money runs out.

4 comments:

Anonymous said...

bloody hell...I think the whole means testing is just an excuse to somehow raise the profitability of the medical sector and to enrich our medical workers, esplly doctors (aka elites)...all in line with our grand aspirations of becoming a medical hub.

Chua Chin Leng aka redbean said...

how many of you can afford to pay $20k or $30k for a visit to our world class public hospitals.

Anonymous said...

When explaining the rationale for means testing, I think our Health Minister has deliberately avoided to explain why do we need for example grand features or landscaped gardens in our re-structured hospitals.

Does this nice-to-have but unnecessary features not add to the maintenance costs of the hospital buildings ? And when these costs end up as part of the medical expense for these hospitals, do you now cry wolf and instead argued that means testing is necessary because the Gahmen's subsidy for health care is getting out of control.

If our Gahmen want to maintain a world class standard for our hospitals but yet reluctant to foot the whole bill and now tries to shift the blame on patients taking advantage of the health subsidy, I think our Gahmen is just plain irresponsible, period.

Chua Chin Leng aka redbean said...

i agree with you. how is the costing done? are all the overheads, including luxuries, piled on as cost to B2 and C wards as well?

patients in these wards can do with less perks and frills.