Reasons of increasing medical insurance premiums

The Health Minister said in his speech that the insurance industry had indicated that some private specialists took advantage of insurance coverage and charged the maximum fee when they encountered patients with medical insurance.

The hospital component of the bill had also been increasing and as a result, the medical insurance premium had gone up.

Source: The Star

Re-employment to age 65

Singapore will not extend its current retirement age of 62 but would instead require employers to offer re-employment to workers at 62 for another 3 years until 65. The re-employment may be for a different job or at a different pay.

Singapore has also ruled out free healthcare as it will lead to uncontrollable and unsustainable demand for healthcare services.

Source: The Star

ING & JIHC in Stalemate

ING's proposal to Joint Inter-hospital Healthcare Committee (JIHC) on securing a volume discount has been turned down by the latter.

JIHC's concern is it may compromise the quality of healthcare and breach the Private Healthcare Facilities and Services Act (PHFSA) 1998.

The JIHC committee represents >600 specialists in 8 hosipitals in the Klang Valley:

• Pantai Medical Centre
• Sunway Hospital
• Prince Court Medical Centre
• Gleneagles Intan Medical Centre
• Assunta Hospital
• Ampang Puteri Hospital
• Tawakal Hospital
• Damansara Specialist Hospital

With the stalemate, ING's policyholders apparently now have to pay upfront and claim later when they see JIHC's specialists.

http://www.thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2008/4/3/nation/20831586&sec=nation