<TABLE border=0 cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width="100%"><TBODY><TR>Put a stop to hidden charges at hospitals
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<!-- START OF : div id="storytext"--><!-- more than 4 paragraphs -->MY MOTHER-IN-LAW, who visits us regularly from overseas, chose Singapore for a kidney stone operation.
Initially, she planned to have the surgery done in Penang, where she had undergone other major operations previously. As she happened to be in Singapore, I suggested that she try nearby Changi General Hospital (CGH).
After various tests, CGH told us that the estimated cost of surgery was $5,500. We decided to go ahead, though we knew it would have been much lower in Penang or Bangkok.
After the operation on Aug 4, the bill amounted to $6,823. We paid up, although we were surprised because in other international hospitals, the estimated bill - usually for the total package rather than a single operation - was invariably close to the actual bill, if the diagnosis had been correct. In total, we paid CGH $9,341, excluding pharmacy charges.
On Aug 13, we asked the hospital why the actual bill differed significantly from the estimate. After more than two hours, we were told that the inflated bill was due to charges imposed on patients who contacted International Medical Services (IMS) for admission inquiry.
We were not told of any charges by IMS previously. According to its website, the only charges are for translation for patients who do not speak English, Mandarin or Malay, which did not apply as my mother-in-law could speak Mandarin and Malay to hospital staff.
I hope the authorities will put a stop to hidden charges and require hospitals to be upfront about charges so customers can make an informed decision.
I would like to acknowledge that on discovering the inflated bill, a CGH officer was professional and proactive by apologising and telling us she would raise our concerns with the business manager.
Arli Salim
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<!-- START OF : div id="storytext"--><!-- more than 4 paragraphs -->MY MOTHER-IN-LAW, who visits us regularly from overseas, chose Singapore for a kidney stone operation.
Initially, she planned to have the surgery done in Penang, where she had undergone other major operations previously. As she happened to be in Singapore, I suggested that she try nearby Changi General Hospital (CGH).
After various tests, CGH told us that the estimated cost of surgery was $5,500. We decided to go ahead, though we knew it would have been much lower in Penang or Bangkok.
After the operation on Aug 4, the bill amounted to $6,823. We paid up, although we were surprised because in other international hospitals, the estimated bill - usually for the total package rather than a single operation - was invariably close to the actual bill, if the diagnosis had been correct. In total, we paid CGH $9,341, excluding pharmacy charges.
On Aug 13, we asked the hospital why the actual bill differed significantly from the estimate. After more than two hours, we were told that the inflated bill was due to charges imposed on patients who contacted International Medical Services (IMS) for admission inquiry.
We were not told of any charges by IMS previously. According to its website, the only charges are for translation for patients who do not speak English, Mandarin or Malay, which did not apply as my mother-in-law could speak Mandarin and Malay to hospital staff.
I hope the authorities will put a stop to hidden charges and require hospitals to be upfront about charges so customers can make an informed decision.
I would like to acknowledge that on discovering the inflated bill, a CGH officer was professional and proactive by apologising and telling us she would raise our concerns with the business manager.
Arli Salim
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