Read Lucky Tan;s views on this matter.
http://singaporemind.blogspot.com/2012/01/malaysia-implements-free-outpatient.html
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Singaporeans are always leery about such schemes implemented in Malaysia. Quality of care, for example, is an issue. However, for the many seniors whose ailments are common like high blood pressure, gout, arthritis, the access to free medication will relieve their financial burden. The PAP govt still makes the sick pay GST. They also collect GST on the amount you pay for medical insurance[Link]. The Singapore govt expenditure on health care is the lowest among developed countries as a percentage of GDP. This is done not achieved by being cost-effectiveness or efficient but by passing the rising cost of medical care to the sick and their family members. Not having a universal health care system in which everyone is covered and can go to hospital for treatment without family members having sleepless nights worrying about medical bills amplifies the effects of income inequality in a society with the largest income gap among developed countries.
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http://singaporemind.blogspot.com/2012/01/malaysia-implements-free-outpatient.html
Quote:
Singaporeans are always leery about such schemes implemented in Malaysia. Quality of care, for example, is an issue. However, for the many seniors whose ailments are common like high blood pressure, gout, arthritis, the access to free medication will relieve their financial burden. The PAP govt still makes the sick pay GST. They also collect GST on the amount you pay for medical insurance[Link]. The Singapore govt expenditure on health care is the lowest among developed countries as a percentage of GDP. This is done not achieved by being cost-effectiveness or efficient but by passing the rising cost of medical care to the sick and their family members. Not having a universal health care system in which everyone is covered and can go to hospital for treatment without family members having sleepless nights worrying about medical bills amplifies the effects of income inequality in a society with the largest income gap among developed countries.
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As long as the rich political elites and the super rich people could afford medical care, the lesser mortals and the poor are made to foot expensive healthcare, so that they could boast that Singapore dun have to spend much GDP on national health for the people, unlike many other developed nations, who face concerns medical welfare is bankrupting the National coffers.
ReplyDeleteThe medical bill is so deceitful, anyone could jack up the total cost, and then print on the supposedly Govt subsidies, just to
make the exorbitant bill more palatable for us to see.
"Got subsidies, open your eyes, it's written on your bill."
They swing the pendulum to the other extreme end, to boast to the whole world that Singapore do not believe in medical welfare as it breeds wasteful expenditure, and yet able to take care of her people's needs, just by making us pay through the nose.
A General Screening Test is charged between RM80.00 and RM100.00 at GPs in KL, Malaysia. But the same test is billed at S$100.00 to S$140.00 in Singapore's GPs.
ReplyDeleteFurthermore, one can find that there is not much different for the so-called government subsidies between Singapore Citizens and the PRs found in the hospital bills, e.g. SGH or TTSH.
The government is too slow and ineffecive to help the sick, the aged and the needy in Singapore - this is a wide-spread perception among the ordinary Singaporeans, not to mention the (run-away) inflation woes that we are facing everyday.
Today, the goods sell at NTUC Fairprice, the prices are NO MORE fair. Many essential items are priced much more expensive than many mini-mart stores in our neighbourhoods. The bottom line, profit, profit and profit is the main consideration. Even the Fairprice members' rebate has been cut from 8% to the present 5% some years ago. Regrettably, the C0-OPERATIVE establishment was once fully protected by the elected-government in the early 1970 is today seen as NOT very co-operative to the workers and the suffering heartlanders' interests and their basic needs.