Reflection

I think that the government cares much about the citizens' healthcare and their ability to pay for the hospital fees. That is the reason why the hospital fees are being subsidized by the government. But there are also some people taking advantage of the medifund as they do not have a lot of amount in their medisave.

How is our community responsible for healthcare in Singapore?

Singapore’s well-established healthcare system comprises a total of 13 private hospitals, 10 public (government) hospitals and several specialist clinics, each specializing in and catering to different patient needs, at varying costs.Patients are free to choose the providers within the government or private healthcare delivery system and can walk in for a consultation at any private clinic or any government polyclinic. For emergency services, patients can go at any time to the 24-hour Accident & Emergency Departments located in the government hospitals.
Singapore's medical facilities are among the finest in the world, with well qualified doctors and dentists, many trained overseas.

(Taken from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Health_care_in_Singapore)

How is an individual responsible for his own healthcare?

Individuals are all asked to be responsible for their own medical health by putting aside a sum of money as medical expenses. With the introduction of the Medisave scheme, every working individual are required by law to set aside 6% - 8% of his monthly income into his medisave account which can be used to pay for medical expenses incurred by himself or immediate family members. MediShield, a catastrophic illness insurance scheme, is designed to help individuals meet the medical expenses from major or prolonged illnesses. Medifund acts as a safety net of last resort for those who are truly indigent. Therefore no individual will be rejected any medical services from any hospitals for the reason of inability to pay. Waiting time for elective operation is between 2 to 4 weeks on average. Patients requiring emergency or urgent surgery are always admitted immediately without any waiting.

(Taken from http://www.thesingaporean.com/)

Medifund

Medifund is an endowment fund set up by the Government to help needy Singaporeans who are unable to pay for their medical expenses. Medifund acts as a safety net for those who cannot afford the subsidised bill charges, despite Medisave and MediShield coverage. Set up in April 1993 with an initial capital of S$200 million, the Government will inject capital into the fund when budget surpluses are available. The Government utilises the interest income from the capital sum, which stands at S$1.66 billion (FY 2008), to help needy patients who have exhausted all other means to pay their medical bills.

(Taken from www.moh.gov.sg)

Medishield

MediShield is a low cost catastrophic illness insurance scheme. Introduced in 1990, the government designed MediShield to help members meet medical expenses from major illnesses, which could not be sufficiently covered by their Medisave balance. MediShield operates on a co-payment and deductible system to avoid problems associated with first-dollar, comprehensive insurance.Premiums for MediShield can be paid by Medisave. A very large medical bill can easily wipe out your Medisave balance, as it is only a savings account. For this reason, you are advised to take up MediShield or an appropriate private Integrated Shield Plan in order to stretch your Medisave dollars. Your co-payment and deductibles can also be paid using Medisave or cash.MediShield will cover up to 80% of your large medical bill at the Class B2/C level.
For Singaporeans who plan to use Class B1 or higher ward classes, you may wish to consider purchasing Medisave-approved private Integrated Shield Plans on top of your Medishield. MediShield and other Medisave-approved private Integrated Shield Plans are designed to cater to your different insurance coverage needs.

(Taken from www.moh.gov.sg)

Medisave

Medisave was introduced in April 1984 as a national medical savings account scheme for Singaporeans. The scheme allows Singaporeans to put aside part of their income into a Medisave account to meet future personal or immediate family's hospitalization, day surgery and for certain outpatient expenses.Under this scheme, Singaporean employees contributes 6-8% (depending on age group) of their monthly salaries to a personal Medisave account. The savings can be withdrawn to pay the hospital bills of the account holder and his immediate family members.

(Taken from www.cpf.gov.sg)

How do people in Singapore pay their medisave by instalments if they have difficulties in paying one lump sum?

Why do think the cartoonist drew this cartoon?

(Taken from www.cpf.gov.sg)

How is our government responsible for healthcare in Singapore?

The Singapore healthcare philosophy emphasizes on the building of a healthy population through preventive healthcare programmes and the promotion of healthy living. The population is often encouraged by public health education programmes to adopt healthy lifestyles and be responsible for each of their own health. The public is also made aware of unhealthy habits such as smoking, alcohol intake, bad dietary intake and sedentary lifestyles. Child immunisation programme which is targeted against infectious diseases like tuberculosis, poliomyelitis, diphtheria, whooping cough, tetanus, measles, mumps and rubella and Hepatitis B, is offered at the government polyclinics. Health screening programmes have also been introduced for the early detection of common ailments like cancers, heart diseases, hypertension and diabetes mellitus.

The Government also ensures that basic medical services are made good and affordable through the provision of heavily subsidised medical services and public hospitals and government clinics. The basic medical package will reflect good, up-to-date medical practice, which is cost-effective and of proven value, but it will not provide the latest and the best of everything. Treatments will be delivered by trained personnels using appropriate facilities. It will exclude non-essential or cosmetic services, experimental drugs and procedures of unproven value. All private hospitals, medical clinics, clinical laboratories and nursing homes are required to maintain a good standard of medical services through licensing by the Ministry of Health.

The Singapore health care delivery system is based on individual responsibility, coupled with Government subsidies to keep basic health care affordable. Patients are expected to pay a small part of the cost of the medical service they are using while the rest will be subsidised by the govenment. If patients request for higher level of services, naturally they will have to pay more out of their own pocket. This principle of co-payment is to avoid the pitfalls of providing free medical services. For patients who choose to have the lower classes or type of wards, their hospitalization expenses are subsidised up to 80% by the government.


(Taken from http://www.thesingaporean.com/)