Can the average Singaporean ever hope to understand the many ins and outs of healthcare financing? Or are we resigned to blind trust in the system? Former journalist Bertha Henson weighs in.
Two significant changes to Singapore’s healthcare financing framework were announced in recent weeks, but there was little public reaction. up to 1.1 million Singaporeans and Permanent Residents
To be fair, wading through each new confusing stream of numbers requires, first of all, an understanding of how the healthcare system in Singapore works. It would be a wonder if anyone besides an industry expert could manage it, even if we tried. For hospitalisation, whether in acute or community hospital, anyone can choose the cheapest option which has the greatest amount of subsidies, regardless of age or income.
If there is no household income, the annual value of the property comes into the picture, dissected into different levels. Housing and Development Board households would make the mark, but not all private homes - a bugbear for retirees who live on landed property. Another conflicting cluster in the patchwork: For stays in acute and community hospitals, there are seven income bands with subsidies from 50 per cent to 80 per cent. But at Specialist Outpatient Clinics, treatment subsidies are divided into five bands with the highest income level, tagged at S$7,000, getting a subsidy of at least 30 per cent.
It’s tempting to suggest that the whole system be torn down and built up again based on just one or two principles.
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