SUBSIDIZED PUBLIC HEALTHCARE COST MORE THAN PRIVATE HOSPITALS?

Public hospital class B1 after subsidy cost more than private hospital?

According to the Ministry of Health’s (MOH) web site – “(there is) subsidy at 20% for class B1″.

According to the Singapore General Hospital’s (SGH) web site – the room rate for standard ward class B1 is from $240.75 per day.

According to Mount Alvernia Hospital’s web site – the room rate for 4-bedded(equivalent to B1) is $223.63.

So, why and how can it be that the cost in a public hospital (after subsidy) is higher than that of a private hospital?

Hospitals don’t actually get the subsidies shown in the bill?

In this connection, I understand that a reason for this may be that the Government reimburses public hospitals based on the MOH’s average treatment type subsidy computation.

Yet hospitals are still free to charge higher prices and pass the difference on to patients.

Instead, the Government should reimburse hospitals for the actual subsidy shown in medical bills.

Downgrading requests – only 1% successful?

As to “downgrading of ward class will be allowed for patients under ICU/ICA/HD management, or patients in Class A1 or B1 wards, if they satisfy the criteria of a Means Test” – why is it that as I understand it – the last time that a reply was given in Parliament – the success rate of downgrading requests was only about 1%?

If the interim bill raises the patient’s concerns about his or her ability to continue to pay the medical fees – why the difficulty in downgrading?

“Forced” to choose B1?

Why is it that patients who are referred from a private clinic (other than Chas scheme card holders) may not be allowed to choose class C or B2 treatment?

Also, why are patients typically told that they may have to wait for months for diagnostic tests or treatment, if they choose subsidised treatment (class C and B2) against treatment in class B1 and A?

Low public healthcare spending?

Why is our public healthcare spending as a percentage of GDP at 1.9 per cent, amongst the lowest in the world? Why is our public share of healthcare spending at about one-third – also amongst the lowest in the world?

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