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Serious Late mum chalks up more than SGD 1 million in medical bills

chittychitty

Alfrescian
Loyal
$1,018,469.29

Healthcare or Nightmare?

10 doctors, 58 days in the ICU, 1 gigantic bill, Mum's life lost.

Never in my life would I have ever imagined I'd see a S$1 million medical bill.

$350,000 in medications… Over a thousand doses of drugs.. I felt so helpless when mum's kidneys failed.
One thing for sure is this... If I had known that 18 May would be the last day of her life, I would rather spend $350,000 on bringing mum the greatest joyful, loving, happiest and most comforting experiences, rather than have her go through 58 extremely painful suffering days immobile in a cold and sterile hospital room.

Looking back, it is all a lack of the right knowledge that cost my mum's life. The painful unknown is... I will never know whether we did the right thing to send mum in through these doors.

There are many health alternatives that can help reverse cancer. However, what is the DOSE and FREQUENCY required to achieve that outcome? Unfortunately it is mostly trial and error, and in mum’s instance, she was unable to consume the dose required to reverse her condition.

Because of this, we were selectively close-minded to recommendations. There were many doctors, alternatives and nutritional supplements that family & friends recommended. We explored some and missed many. However, if we stayed 100% open and explored ALL alternatives, one of them may have been able to save mum. A very costly regret…

We didn't realise how urgent cancer was. For someone with a generally healthy diet with natural foods and active lifestyle, if cancer strikes, find out if “targeted chemotherapy” is available. For aggressive treatment as chemotherapy, it needs to be administered as soon as possible while the body still has health reserves and is able to bounce back.

We also made the mistake of thinking “all hospitals are the same”. There is a HUGE difference in SPEED and EXPERTISE for public healthcare and private specialists. For a woman over 50's and post-menopause, if there is unusual swelling in the abdomen, a detailed scan to check for tumour is required immediately. When mum was first admitted in January, the doctors took 2 long weeks to discover the tumour. Something that the right scan would instantly reveal.

Unfortunately, I feel that the entire healthcare ecosystem is such that specialists and private facilities are gravely expensive, and billing is structured in a way to max-out insurance payout in a cold and professionally institutionalised way. My heart felt cold when I saw that on mum’s $1 million bill, she was referred to as “Customer” and not “Patient”..

More at Late mum chalks up more than SGD 1 million in medical bills
 

Reddog

Alfrescian
Loyal
The age of her mum was not stated.

We are all suppose to die. No exception (maybe lhl with his parliamentary support is an exception). When we are old and not multi-millionaires like pap elites, we should be prudent when hit by diseases like cancer, brain tumour, etc. Such problems are very expensive to resolve and at the conclusion (cured or otherwise), the family will be severely damaged both financially and emotionally.

It will be better to have sufficient medication to keep pain in abeyance, stay at home or at least in a familiar surrounding with your loved ones; and spend your last days at peace with yourself. Indeed, a friend at SGH said that most sinkies will have enough to pay for pain neutralizing medications with their medisave money. Most medisave are not enough for treatment at the hospital or worst in ICU.
 

JohnTan

Alfrescian (InfP)
Generous Asset
The daughter should either run road, be a top MLM agent or a top hooker. Otherwise, she would be in debt bondage all her life.
 

frenchbriefs

Alfrescian (Inf)
Asset
More propaganda from insurance company.i bet they subsidized 90 percent of that biychs bill if she wrote that article.

58 days in ICU,it's obvious they tried to cure her disease when it was too late.moms life is not lost,she was already a goner by the time they cared enough to take action.and then push all the blame to the 1 mi))m bill and industry.
 
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Agoraphobic

Alfrescian
Loyal
Time to consider medical marijuana. It may not cure everything, but sure is a more economical alternative. After all, hope is still important.

Cheers!
 

kryonlight

Alfrescian (Inf)
Asset
Actually, I think the public hospital doctors already know the mum is gone case. That's why they are dilly-dallying the result. No point wasting so much public resources on a terminal patient.

For private specialists they don't care if patient is dying anyway or not. They will pump in as many drugs and treatments so long as the patient is still breathing just to make you pay.
 

decent02

Alfrescian
Loyal
Singapore is a state where GDP is of upmost importance. Every establishment has to maximise profits. I am not surprise when the doctors recommend several remedies to a dying patient. The next of kin will definitely agree to the suggestion due to emotional attachment to the dying patient.
 

nayr69sg

Super Moderator
Staff member
SuperMod
Ovarian Cancer? Waited quite a while before seeing a doctor. Tried using alternative therapies to "treat" without a diagnosis. Mother disliked doctors and disliked taking medication.

Went to private hospital and stayed in the ICU in the PRIVATE hospital. Probably was told the low chance of survival and poor outcome but still insist on trying. Hence extended ICU stay. $1 million for 58 days stay not a surprise. In the public hospital very unlikely they would let you stay in ICU for 58 days without good chance of success.
 

scroobal

Alfrescian
Loyal
I have seen these sort of situations where family members are pressured by relatives or other siblings to go for the "best" despite medical advice. $1m, truly crazy.

Ovarian Cancer? Waited quite a while before seeing a doctor. Tried using alternative therapies to "treat" without a diagnosis. Mother disliked doctors and disliked taking medication.

Went to private hospital and stayed in the ICU in the PRIVATE hospital. Probably was told the low chance of survival and poor outcome but still insist on trying. Hence extended ICU stay. $1 million for 58 days stay not a surprise. In the public hospital very unlikely they would let you stay in ICU for 58 days without good chance of success.
 
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