Fee guidelines are useful

29 September 2012

Editor, Forum Page

Straits Times

Mr. Joshua Seet said that medical fee guidelines may lead to higher prices for everyone 

as it will encourage practitioners to match the recommended guidelines (ST 19 Sep).

I hold a different opinion. The fee guidelines will be helpful to consumers and will also most likely 

lead to lower prices.

I have been approached on several occasions by consumers on how much they should pay in

legal fees to write a will or obtain probate for an estate. The Law 

Society does provide in its website some lawyers that provide the service, but they are not

able to give the fee guideline. The consumer need to call several lawyers just to get an 

indication of the fees.

I have also experienced difficulty in getting the fee to notarize a contract with an overseas party.

My staff had to spend more than two hours just to get the information. A fee guideline would 

have been helpful.  

I am sure that most patients, being consumers,  would welcome the existence of a fee guideline 

for medical treatment as well.

The publication of the fee guidelines will encourage competition and lower prices. Some 

new practices would tell their clients that they are charging lower fees, compared to the guidelines,

because they are newly established or have lower cost of operation. Consumers who

are cost conscious may opt for their services.

If the fee guideline had been published, some reputable practitioners may charge above the 

guidelines. Consumers who accept these fees willingly do not have cause to complain 

that they have been misled.

I urge the Competition Commission to review its stance on fee guidelines that are set

voluntarily by professional associations. They serve not only the interest of their professional

members, but the interest of consumers as well.

Tan Kin Lian
President
Financial Services Consumer Assocation

www.fisca.sg