1/15/2013

Should GST be removed from medical bills?



The GST is a very insensitive and blunt tool to collect taxes for the govt. But this does not necessarily mean that it has to be blunt and crude and all inclusive. The GST can be fine tuned in many ways to be more humane, compassionate and merciful in its application. Those who choose to support a one size fits all GST are just not willing to be flexible and can even be very mean or even wicked to take this kind of position.

One very glaring example of the inhumane application of GST is medical bills. The taxpayers are already sick, some very sick, some dying, and the Govt thinks it is alright to charge them GST. And the more serious is the illness, the more expensive is the medical bill, the greater will the sick have to pay for GST. A $1m medical bill will fetch a $70k GST or a half a million dollar bill will be $35k in GST. Is this the proper and morally right thing to do, to feast on the sick and the very sick?

Then the taxes on essential items like food and essential services. Maybe using more electricity or water would not make people squirm when they have to pay GST on them. What about food, like rice, sugar and salt? What about milk powder for the babies and baby food, when babies are so precious and so costly to bring up? Baby food is by no means cheap and the added GST is no small sum. The Govt’s explanation is that it could redistribute the GST collected to the needies. What a big bull. The amount collected could be the same tax the needies paid as GST. Or many could have fallen through the net and did not get any rebates from the Govt. Some would not qualify because of the stringent criteria when they really need it. The returning of GST to benefit the poor is a very grey area and the efficiency of seeing those who need the handouts is often found wanting.

There are many specific goods and services that GST could be refined and targeted. The rich that are willing to splurge on their elaborate funeral expenses needless to say would not mind paying GST for them. But why are the small people who just want to pay for the last rite with their little money or borrowed money made to pay GST? May be the service providers are GST exempt and we do not know.

There is no excuse to treat GST like a big wet blanket. It must be trimmed to fit some clear cut cases like medical and essential goods and services. Super talented millionaire ministers and civil servants would have no problems coming up with an acceptable and equitable and flexible GST policy on what need not be taxed.

14 comments:

Anonymous said...

What is operationally so difficult about removing GST from medical bills?
The PAP has an overwhelming majority in parliament to pass a legislation making medical bills exempt from GST.
But they have not done so.

Is it because they do not care?
Is it because they don't know how to raise money from other sources?
Is it because they don't know where the money is going to come from?
Is it because Singaporeans do not know where the money is going to?

Anonymous said...

Why must GST be included for transfer of TOWN COUNCILS ASSETS to AIM A PAP COMPANY.

Anonymous said...

PAP has always used $$$ to manage everything. It is an idiot proof method and you really do not need scholars to do the job. But problem with is $$$ method is that there is limitation to its effect. For example, COE, GST, ERP, Property cooling measures, Healthcare mean teasting,cigarette tax etc could not achieve the result they are intended for. The rich continue to enjoy all they want but the poor suffers. It is time government use the talents of its ministers to think of other ways to manage our system. No matter how difficult it can be. After all we pay them lots more money than private sectors.

jjgg said...

Rb..surely you are not suggesting that the government gives up its golden goose...there can never be any moral issues with government ..the system will break down man!! Reason and logic lies with the commoner,people who has never been in power and only spend their days in coffee shops or postings on the web and in the meantime the government rules n dreams of ways to spend the tax dollar..

patriot said...

Commonsense tells me that if I intend to make money from the people, the best profits wll come from the essential goods and services.

The sole function display by thr Government thus far is make money.

Who feel the Government is caring?

patriot

Anonymous said...

In 2011 I have wriiten to MP Seah to inform that the GST on the bill in Home for the aged. I said that the GST is non medical related and this increases the cost borne by the children. I told him , as reported in the press that the old people are abandoned there , and this could be due to the high cost in the final bill.This put financial pressure on the children. His answer is "refer the case the social worker". I dont think MP seah will go further than that. So those with old folks
your cost in the home will definitely go up.

Anonymous said...

PAP candidate Dr Koh PK:
"The residents have to be practical and realistic - that you must choose to vote the person who can do the work for you."

So Dr Koh.
If Singaporeans want GST to be waived from medical bills, can you do the work for us?
Is PAP willing to implement the change?

Or.
Is WP's Lee Li Lian a better choice to getting this done for us?
Is a WP government more willing to implement this change for us?

Punggol East Residents.
Please vote wisely.

GE 2016.
Singaporeans, please vote wisely.

Anonymous said...

And the next time a PAP arsehole asks you "where is the money going to come from?"

Ask him back "where is our money going to right now?"

Ⓜatilah $ingapura⚠️ said...

redbean:

>>
The GST is a very insensitive and blunt tool to collect taxes for the govt. <


All taxes are bad. But the method of taxing consumption is the "least bad" and the "fairest" or "most just"...if there's any argument one can make to justify the "legitimacy" of taxes -- aka legalised extortion ("pay up or else" says the gangster) and armed robbery ("hand over the money or I'll shoot", says the gangster).

Removing the GST from any setor means revenue will have to be made up elsewhere. There is NO WAY the govt (any govt) won't defend their "revenue stream" -- as immoral and brutal as it is.

If you can argue the removal of tax from medical bills, then you can argue the case of removing ALL TAXES -- which would make it a perfect world ;-)

Everybody gotta paya da taxa!

Fair is fair. End of story

Anonymous said...

I support that GST should not be charged on medical services just like it is not charged on financial services. I suggest someone organise a petition to the useless president who should wake up from his big fat ass dream and do something useful for his people.

Anonymous said...

Tax is the way the gov can rob his people legitimately.

Ⓜatilah $ingapura⚠️ said...

Paying the gangster is usually the "better choice" than to not pay and subsequently incur (more of) his criminality.

Anonymous said...

@ Matilah
"Paying the gangster ..."

Your picture is representative of how the PAP government views the Singapore tax payers.

Anonymous said...

I think subsidised patients in Class C and B2 wards already have their GST absorbed if they are S'poreans or PR...