Leong Sze Hian tries to pull a fast one over medical subsidies

[tomychua]

It's really bullshit nonsense when the opposition-wannabes like Leong Sze Hian (LSH) tries to twist and bluff and scare the public about the amount of medical subsidies that the Govt provides for.

LSH's caption for the above bill screams:
“B2 ward Hospitalisation and medicine – $3,267 – MediShield Life pay $300”​

wah... sounds scandalous right? After all, for a medical bill of $3267, a MediShield Life payout of $300 is only a paltry 10%. Damn sad right?

But is that really true? Let's examine the facts as set out by the bill above.

In the bill, the total charges is $5,532.33 before any subsidy. (Where did LSH's figure of $3267 in his caption come from?)

Then we have the Govt Grant of $3263.62 for B2 wards kick in. (Did LSH confuse himself?) That's almost a 60% outright subsidy of the bill!

And bear in mind, this subsidy is NOT an insurance payout, or even money from the CPF medical insurance schemes. It is a outright govt grant towards the bill.

So the patient actually has to pay a balance of $2,333.51 after the Govt Grants. (GST is absorbed by Govt) But that's not the end.

This is where Medishield Life insurance kicks in and reduces the medical bill by another $300.16, which works out to be 12.8% of the balance $2,333.51. And the Patient has received a total subsidy of (Govt Grant $3263.62 + GST Absorbed $158.80) = $3422.62.

The final payable amount of $2,333.51 is paid using the Patient's CPF (Medisave) account.

Yes, the MediSave money is NOT a govt subsidy but from the Patient's own (compulsory) savings. But remember, 17% of the Patient's CPF contribution comes from the Employer. And the MediSave account earns 4% pa interest on the savings- guaranteed.

So now, the Patient doesn't even have to fork out a single cent of cash, instead using the CPF savings to pay the bill.

Healthcare will never be cheap, and the costs will keep on rising. And this is a global phenomenon. You can't just look at the absolute amount that you are paying and scream "expensive" without comparing it to something.

Here are some experiences of those who have used our healthcare system.

Singapore Healthcare System – Retiree Pays Astronomical Sum Staying Changi Hospital For 80 Days.
Singapore Children Hospitalization Cost – My Experience WithKKH Vs TMC


Do you own homework and work out the maths. And then think about how much a similar hospital stay / treatment would cost you in another country.

Don't just let other stir your emotions and cloud you judgement.

 

[winnipegjets]

So now, the Patient doesn't even have to fork out a single cent of cash, instead using the CPF savings to pay the bill.

This shows how stupid you are ...your CPF savings is intended for retirement, not for pay medical bills or housing loans.

Just because you don't need to pay out of pocket does not mean it is affordable or cheap.

 

[Narong Wongwan]

This shows how stupid you are ...your CPF savings is intended for retirement, not for pay medical bills or housing loans.

Just because you don't need to pay out of pocket does not mean it is affordable or cheap.

Pap has successfully indoctrained into the 70% that cpf is not money.
Like how casinos use gambling chips instead of cash to hoodwink punters.

 

[Papsmearer]

For all you Bros that do not know. Let me tell you my experiences with the Singapore healthcare system and the whole scam works, using this example above by Leong.

1)The PAP tells you that they subsidizing your hospital stay. So, lets look at the above bill. It does not say where the hospital is. Could be SGH, NUH, etc. So, for a 8 day stay at a B2 ward, the cost without subsidy is $2018.72 or $252.25 a day. As far as i can see, this is a bullshit plucked out of the air sum. How do we compare this? Non singaporeans to my knowledge are not allowed to stay in B2, they are only allowed to stay in B1 and A wards. So who sets this unsubsidized rate? A B1 ward with subisidy for a sinkie is $240 per day. For SPR, its $269 a day. For non resident unsubsidized rate, its $308. So the difference between what a sinkie citizen pays with full subsidy and what a foreigner pays is only $68. If B2 were opened to foreigners, the difference between the $75 paid by sinkies and that paid by the foreigners will be for sure less then $68, since B2 is less desirable then B1. Even if you use the B1 unsubsidized rate of $308 versus the unsubsidized rate for a B2 of $252.25, the difference is only $55.75. How can the PAP explain that the subsidized rate for B1 for sinkies is $165 more then the subsidized rate for B2. But the unbsubsidized rate for foreigners is only $55.75. So, non sinkies get a better deal? Shouldn't the rate difference for non sinkies be more then for sinkies?

2) This whole billing is a flim flam show. If I want to sell a diamond ring for $5000, I can price it at $10,000 and offer to give the customer a 50% discount or subsidy. Like that, the idiot customer will also think he got a good deal, just like the idiot sinkies think they got a good deal from the subsidies. And I would have sold the ring for the price I want. Now, what if the customer who wants to buy my diamond ring actually build my store for me free of charge. Yes, the whole building, did not charge me for the land, did not charge me for the equipment, etc. My diamond store was given to be fully equipped and build FOR FREE. Do you think I should give my diamond customer a fantastic deal? Damn right. SHould I even give him the diamond for free? Damn right. this is what happened with hospitals in singapore. All were build by MOH originally using taxpayer money. Now taxpayer must pay this and that for the previlege of using the very hospital paid by them.

3)The ward rate is actually a loss leader for the PAP. The "large" subsidies are not applicable to medicine. So that is where they make the most money. In the example above, drugs cost was $1045, and only $20 were subsidized. Many hospitals overseas like in Thailand have a one charge that is inclusive of everything. ut they break it up here to milk the peasants as much as they can.

 

[blueRad]

Just top it up with a private Integrated health insurance and the patient won't even have to pay a single cent.

 

[johnny333]

Just top it up with a private Integrated health insurance and the patient won't even have to pay a single cent.

Why not just have a private health insurance & leave the CPF funds alone
People can then decide if they want to pay for health insurance. If it is a fair & reasonable plan Sporeans will of course buy into it.

 

[Brightkid]

Subsidy is a very abused word by PAP. Is really means nothing to the layperson.

They can also say a 3-room Pigeon hole selling at $1 million list price, but selling to peasant after grants and out of their 'good hearts' at $300k. Therefore a grand 'subsidy' of $700k!! Their cost? Maybe less than $100k.nthey never divulge their actual cost to-date as far as I know.

Should one be happy over such a big subsidy to vote them back every 5 years?

Just take a look with your binoculars across the river not too far away, where healthcare and medicine is a fraction of what citizens in SG actually pays!

 

[yahoo55]

Subsidy is a very abused word by PAP. Is really means nothing to the layperson.

They can also say a 3-room Pigeon hole selling at $1 million list price, but selling to peasant after grants and out of their 'good hearts' at $300k. Therefore a grand 'subsidy' of $700k!! Their cost? Maybe less than $100k.nthey never divulge their actual cost to-date as far as I know.

Should one be happy over such a big subsidy to vote them back every 5 years?

Just take a look with your binoculars across the river not too far away, where healthcare and medicine is a fraction of what citizens in SG actually pays!

Agree, "subsidy" is a very abused word by PAP.

PAP's so call "subsidy" is also called "market subsidy", where the pricing of public goods like HDB flats are not based on actual construction costs minus real discounts. In PAP's "market subsidy", they still make big profits from HDB flats through inflated land prices and the profits are funneled to SLA.

Just looking at how Malaysia is so much cheaper than Singapore in healthcare, I bet PAP's pricing of public healthcare are not based on actual costs minus real discounts, but based on "market subsidy" and PAP are still making profits. Heard that the CEO of Singhealth has very high pay.

 

[Narong Wongwan]

Subsidy is a very abused word by PAP. Is really means nothing to the layperson.

They can also say a 3-room Pigeon hole selling at $1 million list price, but selling to peasant after grants and out of their 'good hearts' at $300k. Therefore a grand 'subsidy' of $700k!! Their cost? Maybe less than $100k.nthey never divulge their actual cost to-date as far as I know.

Should one be happy over such a big subsidy to vote them back every 5 years?

Just take a look with your binoculars across the river not too far away, where healthcare and medicine is a fraction of what citizens in SG actually pays!

Pappy wordsmiths already coined the terms 'market subsidy' and 'cost subsidy' with regards to health care.
Much like their other award winning terms like 'maximum restraint', 'ponding', 'minister calibre', 'tripartism' etc etc.
Also most times....Even with words not invented by them and already in the dictionary......pap's interpretation is uniquely Singapore.

 

[Papsmearer]

Pappy wordsmiths already coined the terms 'market subsidy' and 'cost subsidy' with regards to health care.
Much like their other award winning terms like 'maximum restraint', 'ponding', 'minister calibre', 'tripartism' etc etc.
Also most times....Even with words not invented by them and already in the dictionary......pap's interpretation is uniquely Singapore.

Don't forget the master of them all, Natural Aristocracy.

 

[Papsmearer]

Subsidy is a very abused word by PAP. Is really means nothing to the layperson.

They can also say a 3-room Pigeon hole selling at $1 million list price, but selling to peasant after grants and out of their 'good hearts' at $300k. Therefore a grand 'subsidy' of $700k!! Their cost? Maybe less than $100k.nthey never divulge their actual cost to-date as far as I know.

Should one be happy over such a big subsidy to vote them back every 5 years?

Just take a look with your binoculars across the river not too far away, where healthcare and medicine is a fraction of what citizens in SG actually pays!

Actually, it appears that 70% of the lay people actually believe that they do a big subsidy. To me, you cannot call it a subsidy until you have revealed the real cost of the ward stay. The non subsidized rate for a B2 ward is $252.25 a day? Says who? The hospital? Why don't they say the rate is $500 a day, that way, the subsidy can be even more. And if there is really a subsidy on the ward, then its offset by the obvious profit making on the meds side.

 

[Papsmearer]

Just top it up with a private Integrated health insurance and the patient won't even have to pay a single cent.

So easy? Why dont u find out how many sinkies have been declined for private health insurance in singapore.

 

[jw5]

Cost of goods or services = $50

Heavily Marked Up Selling Price = $300

Final Selling Price After "Subsidy" = $200

Profit = $150

"Subsidy" (you can hear the gongcheebyes cheering) = $100