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1/08/2011
I have failed…
Yes, I have failed in my mission to bring down medical cost. Over the last four years, instead of bring down medical cost, they have spiralled by very substantial amounts. I am talking about increases of 50% to 90%. I must thank Salma Khalik for her data to confirm, without any doubt, that I have failed very badly. I think I should from now on stop talking cock about medical cost and how to bring it down.
And now for the good news about rising medical cost. Salma Khalik has interviewed Boon Wan and these are some of the good news and developments in the medical field that partly contributed to the high medical cost.
1. Don’t worry, despite the big hospital bills, the patients have no difficulties paying them. Isn’t that comforting?
2. And there are the wonderful 3M schemes to pay the bills, some up to 100%. So no need to pay more cash, maybe $3 only.
3. And the bills could be even more if not of the brilliant scheme to move not so sick patients out of hospitals to community hospitals and nursing homes. Big savings there.
4. Day surgery also plays a big role in cutting down the overall bills.
5. The hospitals have also been very customer oriented, to ensure patient satisfaction and allowed them to choose non standard items that are not subsidised. So they cannot complain about higher bills. And definitely they are happy to pay more to be better satisfied.
6. The best part, the bottom line ‘We have good high standard public hospitals that are affordable because of 3Ms.
Ok I have failed. On the other hand Boon Wan has done a terrific job and we have a very high standard of medical care at very affordable prices. This reminds me of HDB flats affordability. The only difference is that HDB you got to pay. In medical bills, no need to pay, or pay very little, because 3Ms pay for you.
You can only "succeed" in what is possible in reality.
ReplyDeleteIf you say "I'm going to over come the force of gravity by first praying to the sky god, then jumping off a building" -- I guarantee you will FAIL -- spectacularly at that.
What I'm saying is that you can only "succeed" in achieving a goal only it that goal doesn't conflict with the nature of reality, and the cold, hard indifferent laws which govern it.
So you didn't "fail" -- you simply picked an issue with in-built "features" to work in a way that you and everyone else cannot change.
Medical prices are going up. Real estate is going up. Food is going up. Energy is going up. Taxes will probably go up.
Wages will lag or stagnate. For the next few decades, that is the reality
There is nothing you can do.
...except...
ReplyDelete...understand "reality" and take a position where you can profit from it.
i.e. "be on the right side of the trade"
The 3 Ms may pay for the increase in medical charges but who is paying for the increased premiums for of the the Ms?
ReplyDeleteAnd another of the Ms is more an illusion than a reality. For many average Joes, with an income although not much, applying for this M is like balloting for a ticket on the next cruise ship to the moon.
And the last M depends on how much you've spent on your pre existing illnesses, such as depression and mental illness from losing your job, a job downgrade due to less than optimal employment and hence the balance in this M account.
Truth be told, the 3 Ms are more an illusionary "safety net" but the doubling of medical charges is real, no doubt about that. Don't believe? Wait till the hospitals send their professional bill collectors (a breed of polite and educated loan shark runners) to gently ask for payment.
Hehe. :o)
The 3Ms can be interpreted to mean
ReplyDeleteMONEY! MONEY! MONEY!
And may I add one more M
and that's Me.
Money, money, money that You must pay me.
Never diminish the importance of money :-)
ReplyDelete... or the self -- ie.e the virtue of selfishness.
Which is why only you can look after your own best interest, especially when the forgone conclusion is that most things are going to fall to shit very soon.
There is a perception that when they interview a Minister about the cost increases of anything, the answer is almost, always, without a doubt, that Singaporeans can afford.
ReplyDeleteI wonder whether the Ministers are answering the question of affordability from their own perspective or considering the ability of the man on the street.
To the Ministers, anything is more than affordable, with their sky high salaries. What is a few thousand dollars to them? Fragments of a peanut!
> To the Ministers, anything is more than affordable, with their sky high salaries. What is a few thousand dollars to them? Fragments of a peanut! <
ReplyDeleteEXACTLY.
If you don't actually have to do any work, to actually earn your money...money ceases to have that "painful value" it has to people who have to work hard for their dough.
Ministers GET their money from the direct legalized theft/ organised extortion of the TAXPAYER.
No need to "compete" for customers. Automatic "cash flow". No such thing as "financial loss". Guaranteed "profit" even if they make mistakes or fuck up.
Where else can you find a situation like that? Best part: it is LEGAL and if you criticise them, you could be the one who gets SUED.