Comments on: MediShield should cover congenital illnesses

By: Govt considers including congenital illnesses in MediShield | geraldgiam.sg

Govt considers including congenital illnesses in MediShield | geraldgiam.sg — Mon, 21 Sep 2009 05:28:05 +0000

[...] glad to read that, in response to the calls from several Singaporeans, including Tan Kin Lian and myself, the government is now considering including in MediShield, the national health insurance scheme, [...]

By: eternalhap

eternalhap — Sat, 19 Sep 2009 06:09:56 +0000

But if CPF Board can cherry pick who to insure and who to reject, then what makes it different from any profit-oriented private insurance company?

You are very right in saying this. Medishield, as a govt scheme, has some obligation to cover what the private insurance companies do not cover.

Unfortunately, people with pre-existing conditions, like the newborn mentioned in the forum letter, will have to pay higher premiums because the chances of them receiving larger insurance pay-outs are higher as well.

So how high should the premiums be to create an acceptable mixture of risk pool? Troubling question the govt should sort out.

By: The Singapore Daily » Blog Archive » Weekly Roundup: Week 38

The Singapore Daily » Blog Archive » Weekly Roundup: Week 38 — Sat, 19 Sep 2009 03:19:15 +0000

[...] “..if CPF Board can cherry pick who to insure and who to reject, then what makes it different from any profit-oriented private insurance company?” Gerald Giam [...]

By: Gerald Giam

Gerald Giam — Mon, 14 Sep 2009 15:42:41 +0000

Jason – I see where you are coming from but disagree with your argument. MediShield should not collect surpluses now so as to fund deficits in the future. In and of itself, MediShield does not need to be profit-making or even break even any more than the CDCs should break even. This is all part of social welfare, which can and should be funded by our investment returns from our reserves.

By: personally

personally — Mon, 14 Sep 2009 03:56:41 +0000

haha – and the govt is worrying about why the reproduction rate is so low.

The govt wants the cake and eat it – sure – go reproduce – but we won’t cover your child is she is ‘less than perfect’.

Cruel. But that is the PAP govt.

By: The Singapore Daily » Blog Archive » Daily SG: 14 Sep 2009

The Singapore Daily » Blog Archive » Daily SG: 14 Sep 2009 — Mon, 14 Sep 2009 03:33:36 +0000

[...] & Healthcare Providers – Gerald Giam’s Blog: MediShield should cover congenital illnesses – The Secret Political Blog: MediShield: Cover your child with insurance before they are born with [...]

By: Kaffein

Kaffein — Mon, 14 Sep 2009 03:09:14 +0000

Thanks for pointing this out Gerald. It is alarming that many Singaporeans do not know what their benefits and rights are, especially in the mandatory fees that we pay to government bodies. Also I’m surprised that the CPF can ‘cherry pick and choose’. So the begging question is: What is the Medishield for anyway? (please don’t respond to this satirical question. I know what the Medishield does).

This is usually what happens in mandatory policies and no-competition scenario. The consumers usually get the bad end of the deal.

To add in what Jason wrote:
“But the population pyramid’s shape is getting top heavy. There is thus a case to be made for collecting surpluses now to fund deficits in the future.”

That includes ’squandering’ the surpluses and funds collected on bad investments to the tune of >$50billion dollars.

Kaffein

By: Jason

Jason — Mon, 14 Sep 2009 01:58:17 +0000

If the population pyramid stays the shape it has been (bottom heavy) forever, then Medishield can work without having to generate surpluses.

But the population pyramid’s shape is getting top heavy. There is thus a case to be made for collecting surpluses now to fund deficits in the future.