5/10/2008

See GP and pay polyclinic rates

This is the latest innovation to help the elderly and not so rich Singaporeans to pay lesser medical fees. Those who are above 65 are entitled to apply for a Primary Care Partnership Scheme cards to enjoy this privilege. The conditions, Singapore citizens and a per capita household income of $700 pm. Just bring your ic, proof of income or no income, and a CPF statement or payslip to a Community Development Council or a community centre or club. Ok, to prove per capita household income, I think you may have to bring more documents to prove the number of people in the household and how much each is earning or what they are doing. How else to prove if one just bring his/her own payslip or CPF statement? Gone were the days when a GP would automatically run through his mind the affordability of the patient and charge accordingly. The place or type of residence, the general appearance or clothing, the neighbourhood, and if he knew the occupation. They did not ask for so many private information in the past. So a richer patient would be charged a higher rate than a poorer one. Not foolproof but a general practice by the GPs then. A kind of self regulation and social consciousness. Now this got more money pay more is being institutionalised.

3 comments:

Ⓜatilah $ingapura⚠️ said...

>Gone were the days when a GP would automatically run through his mind the affordability of the patient and charge accordingly. [...] Not foolproof but a general practice by the GPs then. A kind of self regulation and social consciousness. <

It's called the FREE MARKET. Flexible pricing is simply a consequence of individuals being free to choose how they are to act.

Contrary to popular myth, free markets bring out the benevolence and humanity in people, because people choose voluntarily.

Hampered markets--hampered by govt "help" bring out the malevolence adn "neediness" in people. Gimme gimme gimme... all of a sudden, everyone want to be "helped".

Abao said...

Nah... there are still kind GPs around - you just have to tell them about your financial abilities.

That's how my aunt gets more affordable medical bills from her GP.

Chua Chin Leng aka redbean said...

yes there are still many good GPs who will not charge exorbitantly. but given the high cost of living and the pursuit for more money to buy that expensive car or property, GPs are also hard pressed to live up to it and earn as much as they could to be seen to be successful.

they are also hit by our great religion of moneyism.