$53 for clinic visit

[cooleo]

Just trying to find out whether it it considered NORMAL rate for clinic to charge $53 for flu, cough and fever.

Was given Paracetamol aka PANADOL for fever. The others are standard cough syrup and flu tablets and antibiotics.

So far, whenever i go visit doc, at most charged $32.

Luckily can claim, but i was wondering, how come so expensive?! Shud i ask a STOMPER to check it out?!

Btw the clinic is at Tanjong Pagar. So beware of going unless u can claim from company!

 

[General Veers]

Just trying to find out whether it it considered NORMAL rate for clinic to charge $53 for flu, cough and fever.

Doctor ask you "Hi how are you today? What is your problem?" already cost $25 at least.

 

[cooleo]

Ok, let's see...

there are 3 clinics nearby where i stay.

Rates charged (Consultation + Medicine)
Clinic A - $25
Clinic B - $30-32
Clinic C - $24

Next question will be why i go to Tanjong Pagar to see doc instead of the cheap ones near my house. Well, cos by the time i reach home, those clinics close liao. 830pm close liao! Imagine that.

 

[darthboy]

Claimable through company insurance? Have you tried asking the price if you pay using cash?

Some motor workshops charge higher for insurance payment compared to cash. Some medical clinics do the same thing too. Target insurance monies...

 

[General Veers]

SGH Specialist consultation fees first visit is $75.

Consultation fees for subsequent visit is $25.

Doctor saying hello to you is already very expensive.

 

[0939]

Ok, let's see...

there are 3 clinics nearby where i stay.

Rates charged (Consultation + Medicine)
Clinic A - $25
Clinic B - $30-32
Clinic C - $24

Next question will be why i go to Tanjong Pagar to see doc instead of the cheap ones near my house. Well, cos by the time i reach home, those clinics close liao. 830pm close liao! Imagine that.

Could it be that you have told them, your charges can claim from company.

 

[cooleo]

Claimable through company insurance? Have you tried asking the price if you pay using cash?

Some motor workshops charge higher for insurance payment compared to cash. Some medical clinics do the same thing too. Target insurance monies...

The price was disclosed to me by receptionist before i requested for a receipt to do my claims later.

Therefore, can conclude this is normal rate. Mind you, this is just a normal clinic hor. And i didn't visit the doc during those midnight kind of hours.

 

[FuckSamLeong]

To all parents of children age 12 and below. Don't be a stupid fool by bringing your children to 24 hr clinics after office hours or public holidays. Especially in cases of asthma attacks!

You will end up paying more than what KK Children Hospital charges. KK has better facilities and capacity to go full monty in critical cases. Worse, you may end up paying $80 just for a referral letter from the sleepy doctor who will attend to you after he had washed his face or check up the latest on Sammyboy's Sex forum.

Never failed to shake my head when I walked past the clinic and see toddlers given the nebulizer treatment without the benefit of a specialist in pediatrics.

 

[po2wq]

did u tel dem where u work? ...

sumtimes, dey 'noe' how much 2 charge u fr dat piece of info ...

eg. if u work in stat board, etc., dey noe how much ur claims ...

 

[singveld]

i am willing to pay 500 dollars if someone find the cure for common cold.
i hate it.

 

[Alamaking]

Just trying to find out whether it it considered NORMAL rate for clinic to charge $53 for flu, cough and fever.

Was given Paracetamol aka PANADOL for fever. The others are standard cough syrup and flu tablets and antibiotics.

So far, whenever i go visit doc, at most charged $32.

Luckily can claim, but i was wondering, how come so expensive?! Shud i ask a STOMPER to check it out?!

Btw the clinic is at Tanjong Pagar. So beware of going unless u can claim from company!

Stomper your house doctor izzit? haha...
Anyway... $53 is ex, normally around 30+ :p:p

 

[JinGanKor]

nowadays they will throw you a lot of medicine and charge you for it. i still go back to my old neighbourhood doctor and i am surprise that over 10+ years, the price increase for consultation is only $1. And he only gives you medication that you need, the total is only $20-$22 for normal flu, fever, cough.

 

[tonychat]

nowadays they will throw you a lot of medicine and charge you for it. i still go back to my old neighbourhood doctor and i am surprise that over 10+ years, the price increase for consultation is only $1. And he only gives you medication that you need, the total is only $20-$22 for normal flu, fever, cough.

there are still honest doctors in sinkieland, that is rare indeed.

 

[Glaringly]

We should get rid of this MC culture just to take one day off from work. Going to the doctor for cough or basic fever is pretty lame. Syrup or cough medicine is basically useless for virus infection.

The best remedy is to stay at home drink a lot of water and plenty of rest.

 

[dysentry]

antibiotics very expensive these days, can ask your doctor not to prescribe if you are poor.

 

[cooleo]

We should get rid of this MC culture just to take one day off from work. Going to the doctor for cough or basic fever is pretty lame. Syrup or cough medicine is basically useless for virus infection.

The best remedy is to stay at home drink a lot of water and plenty of rest.

Stay at home drink alot of water? That will be peachy if u are JOBLESS!

 

[shelltox]

many of the neighbourhood clinics are run as a medical chains
things would only get more expensive when everyone is outbidding in the the tender

 

[ahbengsong]

talking about daylight robbery...

 

[Soul_Reaper]

My neighbourhood clinic has a range of prices depending on the timing and which doctor attending to you.

8.30am to 12.30pm + locum ($25)
8.30am to 12.30pm + consultant/specialist ($40)

2.00pm to 4.30pm + locum ($15)
2,00pm to 4.30pm + consultant/specialist ($30)

6.30pm to 9.00pm + locum ($30)
6.30pm to 9.00pm + senior doctor ($40)
6.30pm to 9.00pm ($100) to call back consultant/specialist

Housecalls - $150 for residents within walking distance
Housecalls - $250 for other residents
Housecalls - $500 for non-residents

Every last Sunday of the month from 7.00pm to 9.00pm will be nominal fee of $1 for those in financial difficulty.

 

[laidback]

That's why there's something we can learn from ah tiongs.

Many times I have encountered when clinic helpers call ah tiongs to dispense medicine, the ah tiong will say this med I dun need, this med I dun wan etc..imagine cutting bill from say $50 to around $30 by rejecting some panadol or antibiotics!!!

Clinics are essentially a business, and they make huge profits from dispensing medicine. 30% markup is the minimum, i.e. drug companies will sell for e.g. an anti-fungal cream to clinic at S$10. This cream has a recommended price of S$13. Then nevermind, the nurse will squeeze 1/5 of the tube of anti-fungal cream into a small white tub and sell you for $6. So, the clinic will recoup $30 from ordering one S$10 tube of anti-fungal cream.

This is just an example of profits on branded medicine. The profit margins on generic or less branded medicines are much much higher, where the clinics will squeeze the small drug companies for ridiculous offers, like buy 100 packs of tablets get 100 packs free.

Medical costs can only come down if Singapore switches to a prescription model instead the current dispensing model.