SG Healthcare 101.

[chonburifc]

Guys,

Was looking at my online CPF statement. KNN! me don't feel rich leh. Zorro Lim Shit Say anyhow say. Read the CPF/Medisave in the CPF website, only make me more confused. :*: In fact more questions now:

Why the CPF (cheat peasant fund) and medisave/medishield so complicated? Read in another thread about an Ah Pek who have to pay majority of an operation in cash. Afterall, CPF is Ah Pek's own money, right?

And also the Minimum Sum (MS), Medisave also got MS but mine will never hit the minimum sum cos' stop contributing for a long time liaoz.

Now SG healthcare really expensive. Can use medisave in JB or not?

And what are the illness and diseases covered by medisave? Private hospital can use medisave or not?

And if peasant really no money to pay for hospital bills, how? Let peasants die on the roadside?

Recently, felt old liaoz so these medisave/healthcare issues come to my mind.:(

What's your view?

 

[ginfreely]

I think must buy shield plans, medisave not enough, one major illness will wipe out the amount.

 

[chonburifc]

I think must buy shield plans, medisave not enough, one major illness will wipe out the amount.

This is something very confusing. How much is enough? I have my own private insurance. Which one do I use when I need medical care in SG?

 

[ginfreely]

This is something very confusing. How much is enough? I have my own private insurance. Which one do I use when I need medical care in SG?

Can see the average bill size by hospital in the link below. Depending on what illness you expect to have, the amount needed differs.

For example, heart disease can cost alot, like Heart angioplasty (Coronary angioplasty)- ward B1 stay already cost $14k to $17k on average, and $22k to $26k for 90th percentile.

Ward B1
Hospital Volume1 Average Length Of Stay (days)2 50th Percentile Bill Size ($)3 90th Percentile Bill Size ($)4
NHC 195 2.2 17,112 25,528
NUH 108 2.9 13,899 22,077
TTSH 55 3.7 15,265 23,989

http://www.moh.gov.sg/content/moh_web/home/costs_and_financing/HospitalBillSize.html

If you have private insurance, sure claim insurance whenever possible. But you need to pay first using medisave or by cash and they'll settle the insurance claim later. Btw i'm not an insurance agent, just sharing my experience of claim.

 

[johnny333]

Can see the average bill size by hospital in the link below. Depending on what illness you expect to have, the amount needed differs.

For example, heart disease can cost alot, like Heart angioplasty (Coronary angioplasty)- ward B1 stay already cost $14k to $17k on average, and $22k to $26k for 90th percentile.

Ward B1
Hospital Volume1 Average Length Of Stay (days)2 50th Percentile Bill Size ($)3 90th Percentile Bill Size ($)4
NHC 195 2.2 17,112 25,528
NUH 108 2.9 13,899 22,077
TTSH 55 3.7 15,265 23,989

http://www.moh.gov.sg/content/moh_web/home/costs_and_financing/HospitalBillSize.html

If you have private insurance, sure claim insurance whenever possible. But you need to pay first using medisave or by cash and they'll settle the insurance claim later. Btw i'm not an insurance agent, just sharing my experience of claim.

I had enough to cover for my hospital stay, an angioplasty, and open heart surgery, and.....etc. etc BUT I still had to pay out of pocket $$$ when I had to stay in hospital & did an exploratory for an angioplasty.
The problem is that the PAP will impose a limit on the amount that you can use, even though it's your own money The fact is that the CPF is controlled by the PAP

If one needs to undergo a serious surgical procedure one is better off considering having it done in Malaysia or LOS.

 

[Fook Seng]

Guys,

Was looking at my online CPF statement. KNN! me don't feel rich leh. Zorro Lim Shit Say anyhow say. Read the CPF/Medisave in the CPF website, only make me more confused. :*: In fact more questions now:

Why the CPF (cheat peasant fund) and medisave/medishield so complicated? Read in another thread about an Ah Pek who have to pay majority of an operation in cash. Afterall, CPF is Ah Pek's own money, right?

So easy to use own money ah?

 

[FIRSTSTATE]

Healthcare is affordable....not.

 

[Fook Seng]

This is something very confusing. How much is enough? I have my own private insurance. Which one do I use when I need medical care in SG?

If you have your own private insurance suggest to link or integrate it to your medishield. This way let the private insurer and medishield insurer pay for the medical fees first before touching your medisave as medisave is still your own money.

 

[ginfreely]

I had enough to cover for my hospital stay, an angioplasty, and open heart surgery, and.....etc. etc BUT I still had to pay out of pocket $$$ when I had to stay in hospital & did an exploratory for an angioplasty.
The problem is that the PAP will impose a limit on the amount that you can use, even though it's your own money The fact is that the CPF is controlled by the PAP

If one needs to undergo a serious surgical procedure one is better off considering having it done in Malaysia or LOS.

Think it is possible to do the surgery in Malaysia or LOS, just that don't know whether can claim insurance. Like the shield plan insurance I bought, it is directly claimed by the hospital i.e the patient no need to submit separate claim. If do surgery elsewhere, must check whether insurance got cover.

 

[johnny333]

Think it is possible to do the surgery in Malaysia or LOS, just that don't know whether can claim insurance. Like the shield plan insurance I bought, it is directly claimed by the hospital i.e the patient no need to submit separate claim. If do surgery elsewhere, must check whether insurance got cover.

If you want to use your CPF, must ensure that the Malaysian hospital has an arrangement with a Spore hospital. It's all part of ensuring that $$$ is kept within the Spore system
I remember watching a CNA program where Sporeans saved up to 50% by going to "approved" hospitals in Malaysia.

If you have some kind of insurance then you can obviously by-pass the Spore system altogether & select the best medical option. I've seen some videos of Thai hospitals & they they look impressive. The reviews I've read from americans going there have been positive.

[video=youtube;5V6T6UTN8C0]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5V6T6UTN8C0[/video]

On my next trip to LOS I'm thinking of trying the dental services at one of the hospitals there

 

[chonburifc]

If you have your own private insurance suggest to link or integrate it to your medishield. This way let the private insurer and medishield insurer pay for the medical fees first before touching your medisave as medisave is still your own money.

Thanks Fook Seng. I know what is medisave, but what is medishield?

 

[Fook Seng]

Thanks Fook Seng. I know what is medisave, but what is medishield?

Medisave is just your money saved in your CPF. Medishield is a group insurance which you subscribe to using your CPF. It is basically an insurance policy sumilar to the one you subscribe to privately except that as it is a group policy, for some people, you don't get the same heavy loading and therefore cheaper. If already have an insurance outside and want also to take up medishield, go for integration to facilitate claim processing.

 

[yinyang]

what is medisave, but what is medishield?

You been away from red dot too long. Medisave is part of your own CPF money, whilst Medisave is insurance (as FS explained).

Extract here (minus the darned politics):

a. Medisave
This compulsory medical savings plan lets you pay for either your own personal or immediate family members’ hospitalization expenses. On average, each Singaporean has enough in his or her Medisave account to cover about 11 class B2 or 12 class C hospitalization episodes. These savings help to significantly lighten our hospital bills.
More than 80% of Singaporeans use Medisave to pay for their hospitalization expenses. Medisave usage has also been progressively extended to meet outpatient needs.

MediShield
MediShield is a low-cost medical insurance plan that helps patients cope with large bills and covers up to 80% for class B2 and C bills. If you are in the middle income group who prefers class A or B1 or private wards, you should consider buying supplementary medisave-approved insurance plans for additional benefits, in addition to basic MediShield.
Currently, about 75% of Singaporeans are covered under MediShield and other types of Medisave-approved insurance plans.

C. Medifund
Medifund works like a financial safety net to help Singaporeans in genuine need. Those who still face difficulties with hospital expenses, even after Government subsidies, Medisave and MediShield, can approach a medical social worker at public hospitals to help them apply for medifund.

Can try this medic calculator (maybe not for your circumcision +555)

https://www.cpf.gov.sg/cpf_trans/ssl/medicalEnh/medi_calc_step1.asp