What is the latest buzz word lately? iCare. This term has already been widely used elsewhere if one were to google. The proposal, when it was first mooted, was that it was not mandatory. Then, no surprises, it became mandatory. Watch my lips, he says. Taking 10% of an employee’s salary is like chopping two of his fingers. And, as usual, the detailing comes later. So, let’s wait. These incomtoops are always haphazard. Their minds are scrappy, to say the least.
Just what is wrong with the present healthcare budget? The following questions come to mind:-
Are there open tenders: for hospital projects? For supplies, such as uniform, diapers, cleaning supplies, for equipment, for cleaning contracts, and for medicines?
Are our health care fees too low? Are there foreigners who benefit from our low health care charges? Civil servants and pensioners, do they enjoy special (or free) medical benefits? There are so many of them you just need to throw a stone and you are bound to hit one of them.
If the above are properly managed, I am sure the deficit could be very much reduced.
While this scheme is still being deliberated, I want to know if this is an expense or is it going into a special medisave account. If it is an expense, people in business can easily “manipulate” their salaries, so that they get paid through other means. 10% is a lot of money! So only the ordinary wage earners are the ones most badly hit.
I hardly fall ill, so will this prompt me to visit the doctors often just to make my contribution worthwhile? The Singapore Medisave Scheme is in fact a savings account, in that monthly contributions go into this account. Should an employee or his family members need hospitalisation, he can draw from this account. No illness, no withdrawal. The money is his, and upon his death, it will go to his beneficiary. Short and simple. And I say, this is fair.
