6/27/2014
Mean testing – Still testing?
How many of you remember this mean method of testing people when they are admitted to hospital to determine what ward they should be warded? Mind you, if I am not mistaken, it is still in practice. Now what is this mean testing all about?
Mean testing is to make sure that those who are richer, can afford higher medical bills, should not be allowed to be admitted to lower class wards. The lower class wards are reserved for the poorer patients because of greater subsidies. So, if they mean tested you and concluded that you can pay for it, you go to a more expensive ward with less subsidies. You cannot decide to spend less even if you want to save some money. So, how to use less of your CPF when they mean tested you and say you must use more? Can Lim Swee Say help out on this when the patients want to save and did not want to spend?
And mine you, because of the higher subsidies for C class wards, the percentage of C class wards available is not determined by demand but decided by the hospital and can be like HDB flats, determined by ‘market forces’.
And Gan Kim Yong telling the people not to worry when Medishield Life comes into effect, there will be enough hospital beds for everyone. Now what did he mean by that? No more tents in hospitals under normal supply and demand situation? When there is a sudden epidemic the hospitals can be excused for not having enough beds and needing to pitch tents in the car parks or any space available.
In normal circumstances, would the hospitals have enough beds for the patients or would the patients have to wait in the corridors? Or would the patients have to upgrade to higher wards to get a bed? What would the situation be when the demand for hospital beds increases with more people aging and with more demands for beds when the Medishield Life kicks in?
Sure got enough beds and no need to worry? Don’t forget, other than the aging population and the mentality of Medishield Life taken care of the bigger chunk of medical fees, the population is going to go up and up, to the planning numbers of 6.9m or could be more.
What do you think, Minister Gan, everything ok and planned for? Sure got enough, no need to worry?
PS. Can anyone confirm that mean testing is still in practice?
Kopi Level - Yellow
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12 comments:
Just got my medishield letter. In the past for my kids it's only $36 now it's 104 . U tell me lar I worry of not?
I puzzled by this mean testing for years. It is a complete nonsense.
You take two families both earning same average salary. One being frugal and calculative all the years on their daily expenses and save only enough to buy a terrace landed property. The other, careless and spendthrift, and whatever they have, can only afford a HDB apartment.
The irony is that you penalizes the one that being frugal and subsidizes the spendthrift.
The word "mean" is self explanatory if you get the drift.
Means testing is a means for this mean garmen to shirk responsibility. Instead of providing affordable healthcare, they test whether you have the means to pay more and thus charge you more. So they do not have to be efficient and frugal cause they have the means to make sure you pick up the tab.
I work in govt hospital, and Yes, means-testing is and had been in practice for about 10 years already.
Basically it penalises those earning over $3,300 if they stay in C/B2 wards. As your salary increases above $3,300 the penalties can higher & higher, until $6,200. At $6,200 & above salary, you hit the maximum penalty liao.
E.g. C class ward:
If you earn below $3,300 you pay 20% of the total bills.
If you earn $3,500 you pay 23% of the total bill.
If you earn $7,000 you pay 35% of the total bills.
35% is the maximum amount sinkie will pay for C class ward.
E.g. B2 Ward:
Similar concept.
Sinkies pay 35% to 50% of the total bill, depending on their salary.
If you retired, then they means-test based on your home address. Your property Annual Value must be below $13,000 in order to get the max discount.
'Means testing" means the PAP government has an excuse not to help Singaporeans.
New Simgapore $ Denominations:
-------------------------------
Due to rapid increase in Ministerial salaries, the following are Singapore’s new currency denominations:
$1 Derisory = $5,000
$1 Peanut = $600,000
Further suggestions from Singaporeans most welcome.
A bill for $36 to $104. Now they can shout to give you 50% subsidy or discount and you damn happy thinking it is very compassionate. Truth is you are paying $16 more and still must be grateful for the mercy for not charging you $104.
You can't bluff all the people all the time.
Means Testing has been implemented even before 2011.
Is it something majority Sinkies think it is bad?
If so, why PAP can still get 60% votes in GE 2011, u tell me lah?
"What do you think, Minister Gan, everything ok and planned for?"
RB
Gan: What do you think, RB, will I still be re-elected and re-appointed as minister after GE 2015/2016?
Mean testing - yes, it is very mean of them.
They are so rich, so would never be put under the microscope to be mean tested. So it is ok to mean test the people.
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