9/10/2013

Medishield Life – What affordability?

The unthinking Sinkies are behaving like sheep without a mind of their own. The agenda has been set and all have dutifully following the cue to talk about affordability. They have forgotten that affordability is worse that a four letter word when misused or abused. What is affordable to a king is not affordable to a pauper. So they are all hoping that Medishield Life premiums for the oldies and the grand oldies will be affordable. Is there such a thing?
 

The few latest articles of real situations when medical insurance premiums have shot up to $4k and will continue to go up by some 40% annually is a good case study. The examples given were of people likely to be economically active and in their 50s. And they are screaming hell about affordability. Try imagine what kind of premiums would those in the 70s, 80s and above would have to pay.
 

And the other simple fact, most of them would be unemployed and have nothing left except a few dollars held hostage by the minimum sum schemes. Even $1 is unaffordable to oldies without an income and who have nothing left in their savings. Who are these jokers talking about affordability? Oops, sorry, my apologies, there are many oldies that have million dollar pensions to pay Medishield Life premiums even if it is $10k or $20k. Small matters really.
 

And oh I almost forgot. The Medishied Life thing can be a good thing also. You see, many of the oldies by then would have $50k or more in their Medisave Minimum Sum Scheme. And many of them would not have the chance to spend them. With the compulsory Medishield Life Scheme, they need not worry. They can now spend them without feeling it. As they said, money not spent is not yours. So the govt is smart to introduce a scheme to help them spend their coffin money. They can spend them happily.
 

After all my grumbling, come to think of it, Medishield Life is a good thing after all. The oldies need not waste their coffin money in the Medisave Minimum Sum Scheme without spending them. They can spend every cent they have. Why didn’t the silly Sinkies think of this? Why didn’t I think of it? Affordability is not an issue. The oldies got a lot of money in their Medisave Minimum Sum to pay for it.
 

Okay, can continue to talk about affordability to stretch the money in the Medisave Minimum Sum Scheme to make it last.

14 comments:

Anonymous said...

"The unthinking Sinkies are behaving like sheep without a mind of their own."
RB

Even if Sinkies have a mind, what can they do?

Vote out PAP so that new govt make Medishield Life really affordable to Sinkies? Or do away with Medishield Life?

Anonymous said...

Sinkies who have a mind of their own will think about how to make more money. If cannot make lots of money under PAP govt, then go elsewhere to make the money or have a better life.

oldhorse42 said...

The Govt is actually really kind. When sinkie groused about high housing price, the kind Govt handed out housing grants to make HDB flat affordable without lowering HDB prices. The Govt's position was that to lower price is to rob our reserves!
When sinkie complained of high medical insurance premium that seem to go higher and higher yearly without check, our generous Govt increase the maximum amount you can take out from CPF to pay for the premium from $800 to $1000 yearly.
Such good Govt where to get. Tio Bo?

Anonymous said...

I am for MEDIFREE LIFE where seniors age 65 and above get FREE basic and standard healthcare.

We can afford this as a nation. Open it for discussions.

Anonymous said...

You said it all. But I am sure there are many oldies like me very
unhappy and have a mind but think all alike, "What can we do?" sigh... That's typical of Singaporean and that's how we are being exploited and taken advantage. Just know how to complain and NO ACTION TOO!!!!! We are sick men.

Ⓜatilah $ingapura⚠️ said...

It'll probably end up being between2-5% of your pay.

The govt will steal the money directly off your employer -- like they do with the CPF contribution. There's nothing for you to do except continue living until you get sick ;-)

Veritas said...

Today, every government in the world is raiding pension fund. The latest being Poland. The forced saving model is bankrupt.

SG government is more clever in the looting. Before, its by inflation and every increasing minimum sum and property. Now is by dishing out more and more insurance. In future, a lot more junk fee will be imposed on CPF until we practically get nothing in return.

Other than that, a lot of junk fee will be impose outside CPF, to suck middle class dry. Before one can renew a passport that last 10 years for almost FOC. Today, the passport last 5 years and cost $70. If every Singaporeans renew passport every 5 years, it would be $42 million revenue for ICA. Not a bad profit.

Ⓜatilah $ingapura⚠️ said...

P.S. Singapore is a unique place where people pay 100k for the PERMISSION to buy a small toy-like car. The govt KNOWS Singaporeans will PAY -- complain they will, but in the end, they pay.

Do you think the govt is going to give a shit whether people deem MSL "affordable" ? Please lah, you fuckers are sleeping, and in your half awakened state you've drifted into "wishful thinking".

Singapore govt at work: look at the figures, do some calculation and projections, come up with the answer -- "$ XXX that is what you have to pay. No, we don't care if you don't like it!". And The Sheeple just pay up. End of story.

Anonymous said...

"Today, the passport last 5 years and cost $70."
Veritas September 10, 2013 10:30 am

Sinkies should consider themselves lucky that the passport last 5 years and not 1 year.


Anonymous said...

That's why Sinkies need to make a lot of money so that they can afford the Medishield life, the passports and the million dollar HDB flats.

And smart Sinkies know that it is much more easier to make lots of money than to challenge and replace PAP.

Just like much better chance to get elected by being PAP candidate than as opposition candidate.

Any wonder why opposition is not ready to be govt?

Chua Chin Leng aka redbean said...

I just wrote one piece telling the oldies to wake up. Post it later.

b said...

Healthcare premium should always be linked to your income. No income, you still pay but get full subsidy from government just like all the first world countries. The current system is nuts. How can the gov ask unemployed people (especially oldies) to pay for so much medishield? The person who started that is stupid beyond explanation.

Chua Chin Leng aka redbean said...

Why not when they have minimum sum accumulated over the years and untouched? Could be coffin money, 棺材本,to many.

Anonymous said...

To add insult to injury they are telling us that they are belping us by making use of our 'own' coffin money in medisave to make medishield life affordable.

Little wonder many Singaporeans are really afraid when the Government tells them it is going to help them. They scurry for cover, but have no where to hide. So they just bear with it and just grin with the oft repeated definition of affordability on the mouthpiece MSM.

After all, what is not affordable when a heart bypass cost only $8?