2/02/2011

Harvesting the people’s savings

What are you saving for? Or who are you saving for? Yourself of course : ). I am asking stupid questions again. But I have been thinking lately. I have come to the conclusion that the saver is actually a proxy. Though it looks like he is saving for himself, actually there are 3 real beneficiaries to his life long savings. They are the ones who will harvest the savings of the people. We have been told that we will live till 80 or 90 years. Think about it, by the time a person passes 60, the chances of admission to a hospital grows everyday. By the time he crosses 80 or 90, the probably could be as high as 80% to spend time in our world class hospitals. They are beckoning, come, we will take very good care of you, at a very affordable fee of course. Can’t expect world class facilities, services and professionals to provide free or cheap services right? Just be prepared for a $200k or $300k bill. This is likely to be the average and right size bills in times to come. So, with a few hundred thousands in savings, be very afraid that it can be wiped out in one admission. I can see fear and cold sweat running down the cheeks. Just one admission can bankrupt any average Singaporean. Fear not, for I am your savior. I know you by name and you shall be in good hands. In comes the other big beneficiary of your savings, the insurance man. He will offer you all his best schemes to help you pay for your stay in the world class hospitals. In fact he has been working very hard, thinking of all kinds of schemes, to help you. Very nice and caring people, next to those in the world class hospitals. With the two, you can rest in peace. I bet the hospitals will be most happy knowing the insurance man is going to help their future patients. They probably thank the insurance man for making hospital bills more affordable. And with the payment reduces to maybe $8, the hospitals will be encouraged to make their bills more affordable. Can’t blame them. Training a world class profession is very expensive. And world class facilities won’t come cheap. But they will promise you that their service will get better and betterer. You will be in good hands. Should the hospital raise their fees, the insurance man will coming running to you and happily chanting, fear not, fear not. My Maserati is on the way, just order another one. He will swear that he will not tire to work out the best schemes for you to make sure that your hospital bills will be affordable again. The people are so lucky. Would I need the services of these kind souls? Actually I will be a disappointment to them. After crossing the golden 60, every day is a bonus. Enjoy and make the best out of it. This piece of flesh is going to get more crappy everyday, no matter what one does. It is dust and must return to dust. And when he calls for you to go home, just go lah. He has many palaces waiting for you. Don’t be an asshole and keep him waiting. Don’t throw away your good money to be hooked up in wires and tubes and think that he can’t get you. He does not want your wasting body. He only asks for your spirit. No need to pay a ransom to keep a piece of rotting meat warm. Put it in the freezer will be cheaper. Burn it and throw it into the sea is as good as free. I think I have better use of my money than for it to benefit the two big jaws. The palaces in some remote places are more interesting and worthy to do some charity, and to share and bless the less well off folks. PS. According to a reply by Karen Tan from MOH, the average C Class ward bill is $1,600 and the majority of the patients did not have to pay anything out of pocket. A $100k bill is rare. She emphasized that C Class bill is very affordable. So there is no need to worry about the above scenario. It is probably a fictional situation in the future.

6 comments:

Anonymous said...

I believe some were admitted and did not die of their illnesses, but because of the soo....affordable bills.

Jayeratnam was right more than a decade ago when he said, Singaporeans can die but cannot fall sick.

How to fall sick when three parties are waiting by the sidelines like vultures to pick the bones clean.

Ⓜatilah $ingapura⚠️ said...

Having a private insurance man + hospitals is much better than having the govt + hospital.

At least in a private system you can sue the insurance man and the hospital.

Try suing the govt and their hospitals. Better die lah -- more certainty there and a whole lot CHEAPER.

Private enterprise solutions may not always be "perfect" -- but at least you can sue for damages -- something you can't do or i very difficult if systems are "public".

Happy New Year. I am enjoying the end of the Tiger and the beginning of the Rabbit from this lovely dining room at St Regis. Yes, I am back in The Hotel for a few days.

redbean, now I've experienced The Hotel for the first time in 3-4 years, you are talking cock lah.

OK it is a bit more crowded and slightly more expensive. I have been hanging out at Dempsey Hill and St James Power Station -- damn shiok what.

Tonight I have reunion dinner in Katong -- what the fuck is the problem lah? OK a bit more crowded, but nearly all my friends have bought new cars in the last year or so -- the BMW 7 series being exceptionally popular.

You write on your blog like Singapore is sinking in the sea -- not true lah -- the place is booming lah.

Anonymous said...

Let them harvest.

You keep yourself healthy and happy.
They may earn your money, but rest assured they have no time to spend it. That's just a pack of bloody fools who dont live any longer than You and me.

A Happy and Healthy Lunar New Year To All.

patriot

Chua Chin Leng aka redbean said...

Matilah, many people are able to live it up and having a really good time. The problem is the huge income gap.

Luxury cars and multi million dollar properties are flying off the shelves like no body's business.

For the average Singaporean who has hardly $30k in savings, don't kena a $150k hospital bill. Peng san my friend.

Anonymous said...

Are U seeing the Americans reaping their harvests in the Middle East?
The US planted democracy into that region and it is now reaping bumper harvest. The Middle Easterners are ditching their almost monarchy liked political systems. They are literally fighting for democracy, political freedom sold to them by the US. In years to come, they will be fighting for other freedoms to free themselves from traditions, customs and to freely embrace Western Cultures including sexual liberty.
There is a Karma effect in harvest, act virtuously get something good in return. Do evils and be ready for retribution and this is no religious stuff, this is just consequence.
Sure, to be rich and powerful, one has to make use of scheme, exploit and be above others, best if the others are rendered powerless to retaliate. However, how much can one enjoy and spend within one short lifespan?
Much has been claimed that what's done are all for the good of the state and its' people. How can it be when it is the people that get harvested after having sold themselves to the clever ideas of the elites?
Just ask oneself a question; is living better than before?
If not, why? And the worse has yet to come.

Chua Chin Leng aka redbean said...

Are we better off? At one time every worker is working towards owning a 5 rm flat. And it was really affordable to every average worker. Some could even buy one on one income.

Today, the average workers can best think of a 4 rm flat. Many will have to downgrade to a smaller flat.

At one time the HDB was building bigger and bigger flats. No body want to live in 2 rm flats. Now they say go and live in smaller flats if they cannot afford bigger flats. And the discontinued programme of building smaller flats will be revived.

For those who can afford the bigger flats, what is the cost to pay for them?

Work and work and work, no time for family, no time to make babies or frighten to make babies with the high cost of everything.

Are we better off? Superficially, the oldies who bought their flats in the 70s and 80s are sitting on inflated leased flats and feeling good. Their children will bear the consequences. The younger generation will have to pay for this.

February 04, 2011 10:15 AM