Tan Kin Lian's Blog: Large medical bill

Saturday, July 03, 2010

Large medical bill

My friend's wife suffered from last stage cancer. The private specialist recommended a treatment with an estimated cost of $50,000. Eventually, the total cost increased to $200,000 and the wife passed away. Apart from losing his wife, who was in the mid 50s, he also spent a large sum of money.

I asked him if the doctor had given him an assessment of the chance of recovery after spending such a large sum. He was not well advised. He trusted the doctor to do his best, but it failed.

My observation
It is better to get a second opinion from another doctor, who is not earning the large fee from the treatment. The second specialist does not have any vested interested to recommend a costly treatment that has a low chance of success. The second opinion may cost some money, but is worth spending, to get a better decision.

Tan Kin Lian

16 comments:

Anonymous said...: medical issues involving loved ones affects emotions and it is not easy to be focused and hard headed.

The immediate reaction is always to do what we deem as the best option.
"best option" depends on whose point of view.

I support the AMD - Advanced Medical Directive, though I have yet to sign up!

getting a 2nd opinion is a good idea, but can even complicate the decision process.

Its all karma. from dust to dust.
Live life as much as possible.. find happiness in all that we do.
and let go when the time comes.; July 03, 2010 4:17 PM
Anonymous said...: Dear Mr Tan
Yes, getting a 2nd or even 3rd opinion is best in a serious medical case.

My own experience.

First doctor whose opinion and advice I did not trust.
- 4 years later, I read about him being involved in an organ for payment controversy

Second doctor whose advice I also did not trust
- 2 years later, the drugs therapy he recommended was subsequently withdrawn from sale because of harmful side-effects

Third doctor whose advice I trusted.
- I only consult with him once every 6 months now
- and that's just to re-confirm that I no longer need the medication that cured me

I got lucky because I used the internet to double-check everything my doctors told me. Everything else being equal, I trusted my gut feeling about the doctor as a trustworthy individual.

It also helps to pay attention to the doctor's bedside manner. e.g. his personal hygiene, logical reasoning in arriving at a diagnosis etc.

Example:
It is almost criminal, the number of Singapore doctors who would prescribe a course of antibiotics when a woman goes to them complaining of painful urination. They do this without even a physical examination.; July 03, 2010 4:34 PM
Createwealth8888 said...: These specialists operate in a small circle and why will they not help to fill up each other's pocket when opportunity come?

Can we really trust the second opinion?; July 03, 2010 4:40 PM
Tan Kin Lian said...: Most doctors are ethical, so they will not support any doctor who is not ethical. They will advise the patient to avoid the expensive, worthless treatment, but they will do it discretely.; July 03, 2010 5:22 PM
Anonymous said...: doctors now a day are different from the past. they now generate artificial demand by suggesting many unnecessary tests.

My mother went for a blood test and the cancer markers test was positive. Though he is not a cancer specialist, he took the case and started all sorts of tests that cause several thousand dollars. When it was not conclusive, he wanted to do more tests. That is when we woke up and stop and went to a cancer specialist. He look at the two blood tests results and concluded that it can not be cancer though the markers were positive.

That was 2 years ago so we have learn a lesson. The same apply to my wife's eye problem. Having spent 3k, she went to a govt specialist that confirmed that that the operation is not necessary.

Now I am very wary and agreed with kin lian that better see more doctors for opinions.

Many canser specialists also show you the photos of his surviving patients but what he did not show are those that died.; July 03, 2010 5:27 PM
yeokh said...: On our part, we could consider signing the Advanced Medical Directive (AMD) while we are still healthy. There's no point clinging to life anyway if it lacks quality.

Voluntary euthanasia should also be a viable option for those who want it.

Dying the good death is as important as, and in fact, is an integral part of, living the good life.; July 03, 2010 5:30 PM
Anonymous said...: "Example:
It is almost criminal, the number of Singapore doctors who would prescribe a course of antibiotics when a woman goes to them complaining of painful urination. They do this without even a physical examination."

This is exactly what the product peddling insurance agents are doing when they push wholelife and endwoment products without examining your needs. These products are peddled as 'antibiotics' of life insurance hoping that it can meet one of your needs.Yes, it is criminal because , first they don't meet your needs adequately and second they are expensive and deprive you of other areas of needs.These are some of the side effects of these rotten 'antibiotic' products sold and peddled by insurance agents, especailly those agents with MDRT or COT or TOT logo on their name card.Be careful of them. They are dangerous to your financial health and well being.
MAS should ban product peddling.; July 03, 2010 5:45 PM
Anonymous said...: Like in so many other areas, I do not trust "mainstream" and popular practices in the area of health and therapies.

Health is an emotional area as it can potentially be a matter of life and death.

But we have all seen how monopolistic, manipulative and dictatorial the mainstream can be in so many areas.

If you do some research you will find there is a lot of controversies surrounding mainstream health. I would rather try out the alternatives and trust my own judgement.; July 03, 2010 10:41 PM
Retired 52 said...: We live in a commercial world and require money to buy things.

Unlike the days of old when we bartered for goats, bread and rice, doctors need money to repay their costly specialist tracks.
They charge high fees because of specilaisation.

Acquire knowledge and information from the internet with caution.

Yes, a second opinion is sometimes required. There lies the root cause.
I have always consulted the same doctor for the past 45 years.. for ailments that are peculiar to myself. For simple flu and coughs I visit the nearby GP.

Try to find a GP that you can build a good rapport with, it will afford you much better, focused and personal care.
Do not hop around just for the MC.; July 04, 2010 1:44 PM
Linda said...: Last year, I consulted a skin specialist for an infected cyst. I was given some cream and a course of antibiotic (costly). When I asked whether there are any side effects from taking the antibiotic the specialist answered no.

When I returned home, I opened the box and found that the pamphlet which contains information about the drug and possible side effects was missing. I surfed the internet and discovered that this antibiotic can give serious side effects.

I did not take it but just applied the cream. The cyst subsided within one week.

I wonder whether the pamphlet was taken out with intention of hiding the information from patients.; July 04, 2010 3:59 PM
Anonymous said...: Maybe a visit to the herbal gardens(or farms) at Johore could provides a better alternative.

No harm giving the a try, having to pay huge medical bills tend to break-up most families and relationships between the youngs and the oldies. Younger patients somehow get more concerns and sympathies. Just too sad to see such a phenomenon where and when older live are considered less worthy.

From my heart, me sincerely wishes to see some leaders undergoing long and complicate illnesses for them to understand the sufferings. This is not to say me am immuned from similar affliction. Should i have it, me will accept it and solve it anyway i can.

patriot; July 04, 2010 4:48 PM
Garrett said...: Sad to see that doctors have dropped to the standards of insurance agents now, selling the medicine and treatment that earn them the most money. Looks like we have to do our own due diligence from now on!; July 04, 2010 10:24 PM
Anonymous said...: Linda,
sad that doctors operate like the insurance agents who always suppress facts especially the negatives. Yet MAS talks about full disclosure and never enforce it. When MAS says about consumers making informed decision, I have doubts that they ever can when there so many dishonest insurance agents whose main interest is the commission.
Your case should be reported to the medical council.Suppressing info is cheating. You would have made a different decision if it was told to you, right? Your carefullness prevents you from taking the antibiotics.; July 05, 2010 9:44 AM
Anonymous said...: Can any doctor guaranteed results for a complicated procedures? Is the human body like a mechanical part that can be fixed and replaced easily?

Can a doctor be sued if he execised due diligence but the procedure still failed?; July 05, 2010 1:08 PM
Anonymous said...: Some doctors are trigger happy with surgeries.
We must both consult a private doctor and one from public hospital, the latter being less inclined towards padding his bank account. Yes, get a third opinion, to be on the safest side. This advice is from my personal experience, saving me the trauma of surgery and a huge expediture.; July 05, 2010 1:24 PM
Anonymous said...: Only trust a doctor that you are acquainted with and will get ashamed to only get money from you. Else, a second opinion is really needed. Some doctors will take advantage of your situation because at your current state, you are fragile. In the end, you'll end up broken with a huge medical bill to pay.; May 20, 2013 5:42 PM