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5 Key Things to Understand About Singapore Healthcare

Singapore’s healthcare system has often been dubbed as one of the best in the world. Its technologically advanced facilities, first-rate practitioners, and streamlined administrative processes make it highly accessible to permanent residents, and a global health hub for medical tourists. To maintain its superb level of healthcare, it relies on several factors to keep its operations running smoothly. Let’s have a look at five of its key aspects to help you better understand how the Lion City’s healthcare system works.

The Ministry of Health (MOH) Plays a Crucial Role

The Ministry of Health (MOH) is the primary governmental authority responsible for the healthcare system in Singapore. It is tasked with the formulation and implementation of healthcare policies, regulations, and standards. MOH’s functions also extend to healthcare financing, resource allocation, and the provision of a safety net for those who require assistance in paying for medical services. With MOH’s guidance, Singapore’s medical facilities are capable of keeping a high standard of healthcare, whether they’re a private or public hospital.

Singapore’s Healthcare Facilities are Semi-Private, Even Public Hospitals

Singapore’s healthcare system operates via a “semi-private” approach, which allows healthcare providers to coexist with public institutions. This model encourages healthcare providers to continuously innovate, enhance their service quality, and offer a variety of healthcare options to meet their patients’ diverse needs with minimum waiting times. Having this system in place guarantees accessibility to healthcare services for a wide range of individuals, including expats and medical tourists. It also ensures that both private and public facilities deliver world-class care.

Its Health Insurance System Is Composed of the “Three M’s”

The basic structure of Singapore’s public health insurance system is built around Medisave, Medishield, and Medifund. Locally known as the “three M’s”, Singaporeans can use these plans to cover their medical expenses. Each “M” has a different scheme, as follows:

Medisave. A mandatory healthcare savings scheme that requires permanent residents to contribute a portion of their income to a personal Medisave account. This account serves as a financial safety net for healthcare-related expenses, including hospitalisation, certain outpatient treatments, and approved medical services.
Medishield. Medishield is Singapore’s universal healthcare insurance program that provides basic health insurance coverage for all Singaporeans. It acts as a shield against large medical bills, particularly for catastrophic illnesses or surgeries. It ensures that individuals are not financially burdened by the costs of extensive medical treatment. Those who have Medishield coverage pay premiums, which are usually deducted from their Medisave accounts.
Medifund. Medifund is an endowment fund set by the government to provide a safety net for individuals who, for any reasons, are unable to pay for heavily subsidised medical care at restructured hospitals, despite having funds in their Medisave accounts and Medishield. It’s a compassionate and critical element of Singapore’s healthcare system that ensures no one is left without access to essential medical care.

Singapore Boasts World-Renowned Speciality Clinics

Singapore is home to several world-renowned specialty clinics, known for their expertise and advanced medical services. These establishments cater not only to the local population, but also to international patients who seek specialised care. Let’s have a look at three of them:

National Cancer Centre Singapore (NCCS)

NCCS is a globally recognised cancer centre in Singapore, renowned for its comprehensive cancer care, cutting-edge research, and state-of-the-art treatment options. It offers a multidisciplinary approach to cancer treatment and is a leading institution in the fight against cancer.

National Heart Centre Singapore (NHCS)

NHCS specialises in the diagnosis and treatment of heart and cardiovascular conditions. It’s known for its expertise in cardiology, cardiac surgery, and heart transplant services. The centre is a pioneer in the field of cardiac care, serving both local and international patients.

Singapore National Eye Centre (SNEC)

SNEC is a world-class eye care facility that provides patients with a wide range of ophthalmic services. It offers comprehensive care for vision and eye health, which includes treatments for complex eye conditions and refractive surgery.

It Offers Premium Services for a Fraction of the Cost

Singapore’s ability to provide its permanent residents with excellent healthcare services at an affordable price for its permanent residents is a testament to the success of its healthcare system. The nation’s healthcare framework is centred on accessibility, quality care, and protection against the financial burden of medical expenses. These benefits can also extend to expats and medical tourists through different channels. Expats with private health insurance can receive quality care and be able to offset their medical costs. Meanwhile, foreign medical tourists who can’t afford healthcare in high-income countries can find cost-effective treatments in a highly advanced private healthcare facility in Singapore.

Now that you have a better understanding of Singapore’s healthcare system, it’s easy to see why it’s the envy of the world. Its ability to deliver exemplary service while keeping things accessible and affordable makes it so everyone can get quality healthcare and ensure Singaporeans can live happy, healthy, and long lives.

Receive Prompt and Quality Medical Care at Private Hospitals with Minimal Cash Outlay

The current pandemic has made more people take a closer look at their health insurance coverage and recalibrate to focus on what truly matters. Short waiting times, choice of doctors and being able to rest and recover in the privacy of a single room are some of the factors considered when choosing a hospital for treatment.

Timely, Quality Medical Care

One often overlooked characteristic of medical treatment is value. In fact, the importance of timely and attentive medical care cannot be underestimated. For example, patients sometimes delay seeking treatment out of procrastination or superstition. We all probably know of a family member or friend amongst us who dismiss the emergence of some symptoms as one-off incidents or simply the inevitable outcome of aging. However, this could potentially lead to unintended consequences such as deteriorating or irreparable medical conditions.

Seeking treatment early could mean reduced chances of having invasive treatments due to complications, which in turn can reduce the overall cost of treatment.

At the IHH Healthcare Singapore group of private hospitals namely, Gleneagles, Mount Elizabeth, Mount Elizabeth Novena and Parkway East, consumers can book an appointment with specialists for the next working day and even schedule surgery within 48 hours. They are also supported by multi-disciplinary specialists with years of experience under their belts and equipped with modern technology and facilities. This naturally leads to an environment where prompt treatment and care is prioritised in a space that promotes their subsequent rest and recovery.

Minimal Cash Outlay

Worried about the size of your medical bills? Some people choose to avoid hospitals because they fear huge medical bills. A survey conducted found that 2 in 5 patients spent most of their life savings battling illnesses. This shows how important it is to have proper medical coverage through an integrated shield plan so that you are protected from huge medical expenses.

Do you know that it is actually possible to receive quality medical care with minimal cash outlay? The key to this is to ensure that you have an integrated shield plan with rider where co-payment can be capped at 5% of the total hospitalisation bill. Here are some examples from Parkway East Hospital:

A cataract surgery with lens implant is estimated at $7,718, pay either $0 (full rider) or $385.90* (co-pay rider)
A surgery for removal of gallbladder with 3 days of hospitalisation in a standard single room is estimated at $29,696. Integrated Shield Plan holders pay either $0 (full rider) or $1,234.70 (co-pay rider)

**Examples are calculated using NTUC Income Enhanced IncomeShield Preferred and Deluxe Care Co-pay rider. Out-of-pocket costs may be further reduced by Medisave, subjected to claim limits, and corporate insurance, if any. The estimated bill and average length of stay are calculated based on historical data and serves only as a guide. The bill size will differ depending on the severity of condition and other factors. In the event of any dispute, the decision of Parkway East Hospital is final. Please confirm your coverage with your health insurance provider.

According to the Straits Times, 7 in 10 Singaporeans and PRs have an integrated shield plan. Of the 2.94 million people in Singapore covered by integrated shield plans, 1.75 million have coverage for private hospital care. In all, about 1.1 million people have riders.

Are you one of the seven in 10? For those who already have existing integrated shield plans, do speak to your insurance agent to understand what your health insurance coverage entails. It will be good to understand beforehand if you will be able to afford the co-payment if admitted into a private hospital. If your insurance agent is unable to assist, simply pick up the phone to dial or WhatsApp IHH SG’s Parkway Insurance Concierge hotline at 9834-0999. They will be able to address queries related to the coverage on your integrated shield plans, panel doctors and help patients make appointments.

Hospital Bill Estimator

To provide greater peace of mind, it is now possible to have an estimate of your hospital bill before seeking medical treatment. This service is available online at Gleneagles, Mount Elizabeth, Mount Elizabeth Novena and Parkway East Hospitals. All the customer needs to do is to provide information on his/her Integrated Shield Plan and riders to have an approximation of the out-of-pocket medical expenses for common surgical procedures.

Here is an example of how to attain the out-of-pocket medical expenses for a colonoscopy (diagnostic) with Polyp Removal at Parkway East Hospital.

Step 1: Select a Body Part (Eg: Stomach and Lower Body)

Step 2: Select a Procedure (Eg: Intestine, Colonoscopy (Diagnostic) with polyp removal)

Step 3: Select your Private Integrated Shield Plan (Eg: Income Enhanced IncomeShield Preferred)

Step 4: Select your Private Integrated Shield Plan rider (Eg: Deluxe RiderCare)

Step 5: Receive your estimated out-of-pocket costs

Knowing the estimated bill size and estimated out-of-pocket costs allows the customer to plan and budget properly and seek medical treatment with greater confidence. In this example, having to fork $200.95 (only 5% of the hospitalisation bill) out-of-pocket means one less worry and ensures that a patient is able to focus on getting treated and recovering. This is an invaluable factor that contribute to a patient’s well-being. In addition, out-of-pocket costs can be further reduced with corporate insurance (if any) and MediSave.

Take Charge of Your Health Insurance Coverage

It pays to find out more about your health and hospitalisation coverage before you even need it. For those who have yet to purchase an integrated shield plan, take action now to ensure that you are guarded against the risk of insufficient medical coverage.

Remember, an empowered consumer armed with the correct information is always in a better position to make better healthcare decisions! Know your options.

Dial or WhatsApp IHH SG’s Parkway Insurance Concierge hotline at 9834-0999 to make an appointment or have your queries on integrated shield plans and panel doctors answered.

5 Medical Mistakes That You Must Avoid

Financial security starts by avoiding these five common medical pitfalls.

#1: BY SHOPPING IN ONE PLACE

It goes without saying that pharmaceutical prices vary from location to location. You may be overpaying for a particular medicine bought at the same place. So, carefully compare the prices from the different providers to get the best price. According to Ministry of Health guidelines, every patient must get an itemized medication bill. Use this bill as a guide while shopping.

Do not hesitant to ask your physician for an affordable and efficient alternative, especially if you are taking medications on a long-term basis.

#2: BY NOT SHOWING FOR AN APPOINTMENT

Some of the doctor’s clinics or hospitals charge patients for not showing up. Said fees can be at least S$20. Remember, you are paying for their valuable time. If you cannot make it for an appointment, contact the office as soon as possible. Rescheduling can prevent your account from being overcharged.

Image Credits: pixabay.com

#3: BY SKIPPING THE GENERICS

New prescription drugs are expensive because they are Generic medicines are certainly cheaper and as efficacious as the patented medicines! Why is that so? New generic medicines are examined by the Health Sciences Authority to ensure that they have the same safety and quality standards as the patented ones. They must not only be chemically equivalent but also biologically equivalent in its effects within the patient’s body.

Interestingly, Singapore General Hospital once saved about S$900,000 after switching to the generic options of Gabapentin (for nerve pain), Alendronate (for osteoporosis), and Clindamycin (an antibiotic).

#4: BY TRASHING IMPORTANT TESTS RESULTS

There are many tests that the physician or lab technician can request. These tests include fMRI, CT scan, and Complete Blood Count test. It is important to keep a copy for yourself. If another doctor wants to run the same test, you can provide the recent copy of the test. Skipping another round of the expensive tests can save you a lot of money.

Image Credits: pixabay.com

#5: BY PAYING YOUR BILLS LATE

Late fees and interest charges add up! Over time, your bill can inflate like a balloon due to penalties. It is crucial to stay on top of your payments.

There are to actions that you can partake in. First, you may compare notes with the secretary to ensure that your bills are on track. Lastly, you can ask for a payment plan that works best for you. It is better to be upfront about your situation than to ignore it.

Sources: 1&2