8/18/2013

Solving healthcare problems?



There is a huge difference between solving high cost of healthcare and devising different ways for the people to pay for the high cost of healthcare. In the former, it is more about how to reduce the high cost of healthcare. In the later, the high cost of healthcare is taken for grant, it is a sure thing and cannot be brought down. So the trick is to tweet the mode of payment, how to squeeze money from the people to pay for the high cost of healthcare.

With the kind of premium that everyone is made to pay, especially the older folks, many are paying upfront and may not need it should they remain healthy or choose not to go for the expensive hundreds of thousands of dollars operation. And for many senior citizens, it is better to let nature take its own course when they pass 65 or 70. There is no need to cling on to life when the body is tired and wearing down. But for those who are rich or very rich and have all the money to pay for all the expensive treatment, let them choose to pay and to live forever.

If we can accept the premise that the medical insurance for the seniors, above 65 or 70, is to pay for not too serious and expensive medical treatment or major ops, to let them live with dignity with basic medical care should they be hospitalized, to make their final hours pleasant and not painful, the medical cost and insurance need not be high and can be absorbed by the govt. To go for expensive ops/treatment, hypothetically a sum exceeding $10k, let it be optional for those who want and can afford to pay for them in their own capacity.

Otherwise, with so many seniors and all demanding expensive treatment/ops, the premium is going to be unaffordable to many. There is a need to define what and how much to cover for the seniors. Perhaps the govt can provide a basic coverage, to be defined, for free. Additional coverage can be optional for those who can afford them.

With healthcare cost so prohibitive, there is a real need to streamline the expectations to suit the needs of different groups of seniors. This is the paying part, the affordability part. It is necessary for the govt to seriously put in efforts to bring down the cost of healthcare and there is no need to be extravagant in many things. There can be basic, economy and luxury class healthcare tailored for different kinds of pockets. Not everyone is financially equal and can afford to pay like a millionaire. In the days of old, the doctors billed the patient discreetly according to what they think the patient could afford. A comprehensive healthcare insurance scheme must take into account the different expectations and affordability of the insured.

12 comments:

Anonymous said...

Prevention is better than cure.
Where is the leadership for preventive medicine in Singapore?

For a start, why not a comprehensive vaccination programme for the elderly?
- hy not flu vaccination for the elderly?
- why not start with vaccination for shingles in the elderly?

Just ask Goh Chok Tong whether he thinks shingles vaccination is a good idea.
He came down with it in May 2009.

http://www.nuh.com.sg/wbn/slot/u1753/Patients%20and%20Visitors/Media%20Articles/May%2009/12th%20TODAY.pdf

Anonymous said...

Got shingles vaccination meh?

Got immortal vaccination or not?

Ⓜatilah $ingapura⚠️ said...

@959:

>> Prevention is better than cure.


Absolutely agree. But it should start even earlier, and be more inclusive. People have to take personal responsibility for their health, and should be PENALISED for making bad lifestyle choices.

For example: Smoking is so taboo now in Aust. that many bosses will choose a non-smoker over a smoker when it comes to job applications. Workplace drug and alcohol testing is so widespread now, no one even bothers complaining about "invasion of privacy".

Vaccination programs (free) for the elderly are many -- from flu (don't play play, if you are old influenza can kill you), to pneumonia. MMR for kids (free), and the rest of us -- vaccination is encouraged, but we, the working pay. Of course you still get idiots -- mostly the religious types -- who refuse to "believe" in vaccinations. That can't be helped.

The of course there's the old bug bears of diet and exercise. Singaporeans are, in general reasonably fit but rates of colo-rectal cancer and obesity are rising slowly. However Singapore is still not in the "danger zone" of the world's fat-fuck cuntrees like most western democracies, Mexico and South Pacific Islands. Males, Females.

When employers hire, your weight could definitely be a deciding factor. Discrimination? Absolutely -- I call it "bosses prerogative".

So there is still alot to be done in the area of preventative medicine. Hard charging policies in this area could significantly reduce health care costs.

However if you have McDonald's, Burger King et al in business, and you still can buy and use Marlboro's and Dunhill's, then you are not going to wipe out "unhealthy choices" totally. However, it is worth trying to get the numbers down.

Anonymous said...

The healthcare issue can be solved easily.....

We must provide free healthcare for all seniors say 65 and above foor b2/c classes only, higher classes have to pay .....

Money come from govt budgets and part of GST, TOTE Board, public donations, etc.............

STOP building public hospitals like hotels. Let public hospitals be basic. Put the extra money to good use......

Put on the thinking caps....I suggest the PM get a group of people to especially see how we can bring healthcare cost down.....

Anonymous said...

"Put on the thinking caps....I suggest the PM get a group of people to especially see how we can bring healthcare cost down.....'

I think maybe all PAP Ministers have been injected with the LKY vaccine in their assholes.
LKY vaccination stops creativity immediately.
All vaccinated persons feel no empathy or sympathy for the poor and disadvantegd.

Anonymous said...

Money from GST and Tote board is better spent building world class fake gardens.

Anonymous said...

The fake gardens is a joke.
The plants are all "foreign talents".

The gardens are valued at more than $1 billion dollars because the gahmen "paid" $1 billion dollars to the Singapore Land Office.
As if the land is worth so much if sold for any other purpose.
If sell all that land for property development, the property prices will come crashing down.

Anonymous said...

For pap to regain lost votes the one and only way is to provide free healthcare to seniors of 65 and above for b2/c classes only. Other approaches are USELESS.

THEN 2016...... pap = 80% votes !!!

b said...

One way is to legalise euthanasia. Many countries are doing this already. THis is more important than legalising gay marriage. This will also prevent the G from getting his hands on the last bit of savings for the family.

patriot said...

The Whole Cabinet is FULL OF TALENTED MEN AND WOMEN WITH GREAT SCHEMES.

patriot

Anonymous said...

Not only great in schemes, they are also damn creative in their schemes too.

Anonymous said...

The living sick will envy the dead in this Lah Lah land of ours.