Singapore: S'poreans Heading Abroad For Cheaper Medical Care
Business 2008-10-20 13:51
SINGAPORE: Four months ago, Terence Seah flew to Bangkok for his full body check-up.
What would have cost the technical director S$750 (US$506) in Singapore came up to only S$500 (US$337) at the Bumrungrad Hospital in Bangkok.
Such savings have come under the spotlight after health minister Khaw Boon Wan said last Friday (17 Oct) that Singaporeans may be allowed to use their Medisave for treatment overseas, if done through a hospital here.
He said that hospitals here with branches or formal relationships with reputable hospitals in the region may find it sensible to outsource some routine in-patient or day-surgery services abroad.
This is good news for Seah, 53, who also seeks dental care in Thailand, paying S$50 (US$33) for teeth whitening as opposed to S$300 here (US$202).
"Previously, people worried about the safety and sanitation abroad; now, their standards have gone up," said the man who has taken advantage of the cheaper cost in recent years.
He is not alone. Singaporeans have been heading to places such as Thailand and Malaysia for less pricey treatments, including Lasik and plastic surgery, for several years now.
In May last year, beauty therapist Tomio Tong, 42, flew to Taiwan for a facelift. Two plastic surgeons at Mount Elizabeth Hospital here had quoted prices of S$30,000 and S$50,000 (US$20,274 and US$33,790).
The surgeon in Taiwan, a veteran, charged only S$11,000 (US$7,433).
"The standard of plastic surgery in Taiwan is very high. Singapore's losing out because of skills and price," said Tong, who paid S$1,200 (US$810) for airfare and accommodation in Taiwan.
Seah also felt that the service he got for his body check-up in Thailand exceeded that at Singapore hospitals.
Throughout his four-hour examination, an English-speaking nurse guided him from station to station. The doctors also explained the test findings in detail.
At the end of the check-up, patients could rest in a lounge, with food and drinks provided.
"Singapore hospitals tend to do things very quickly and rush you from one station to the other. The staff are also less friendly," he said.
But consultant cardiothoracic and vascular surgeon Eugene Sim said safety and reliability matter more than cost and service.
"Singapore's medical care is one of the best in the region. For those to whom cost is important, subsidised care in a restructured hospital is a better alternative than bearing the inconvenience and possibly higher expense of going overseas," he said.
He does not foresee recommending patients to head overseas.
Singapore's reputation as a medical hub also prompted an oncologist, who did not want to be named, to say: "While foreigners are coming in, getting Singaporeans to seek help overseas would seem strange."
Singapore hospitals, public and private, saw 410,000 foreign patients in 2006.
The crux of the matter, said Professor Arthur Lim, president of the Medical Alumni Association, is that Medisave belongs to the patient.
"If he can get better treatment in a reputable overseas institution, or a treatment unavailable here, we should support the individual," he added.
He noted that the competition would also improve standards in the medical industry.
So will there be a rush for treatment overseas if people are allowed to use their Medisave?
For some, like medical sales manager Tricocia Low, 40, the inconvenience of having to travel is a deterrent, especially if follow-up procedures are needed or when complications arise.
"I would prefer my family to be with me if I need medical treatment. Besides, there's a reason foreigners are coming into Singapore for treatment," she said. (By MAVIS TOH/ The Straits Times/ ANN)
Business 2008-10-20 13:51
SINGAPORE: Four months ago, Terence Seah flew to Bangkok for his full body check-up.
What would have cost the technical director S$750 (US$506) in Singapore came up to only S$500 (US$337) at the Bumrungrad Hospital in Bangkok.
Such savings have come under the spotlight after health minister Khaw Boon Wan said last Friday (17 Oct) that Singaporeans may be allowed to use their Medisave for treatment overseas, if done through a hospital here.
He said that hospitals here with branches or formal relationships with reputable hospitals in the region may find it sensible to outsource some routine in-patient or day-surgery services abroad.
This is good news for Seah, 53, who also seeks dental care in Thailand, paying S$50 (US$33) for teeth whitening as opposed to S$300 here (US$202).
"Previously, people worried about the safety and sanitation abroad; now, their standards have gone up," said the man who has taken advantage of the cheaper cost in recent years.
He is not alone. Singaporeans have been heading to places such as Thailand and Malaysia for less pricey treatments, including Lasik and plastic surgery, for several years now.
In May last year, beauty therapist Tomio Tong, 42, flew to Taiwan for a facelift. Two plastic surgeons at Mount Elizabeth Hospital here had quoted prices of S$30,000 and S$50,000 (US$20,274 and US$33,790).
The surgeon in Taiwan, a veteran, charged only S$11,000 (US$7,433).
"The standard of plastic surgery in Taiwan is very high. Singapore's losing out because of skills and price," said Tong, who paid S$1,200 (US$810) for airfare and accommodation in Taiwan.
Seah also felt that the service he got for his body check-up in Thailand exceeded that at Singapore hospitals.
Throughout his four-hour examination, an English-speaking nurse guided him from station to station. The doctors also explained the test findings in detail.
At the end of the check-up, patients could rest in a lounge, with food and drinks provided.
"Singapore hospitals tend to do things very quickly and rush you from one station to the other. The staff are also less friendly," he said.
But consultant cardiothoracic and vascular surgeon Eugene Sim said safety and reliability matter more than cost and service.
"Singapore's medical care is one of the best in the region. For those to whom cost is important, subsidised care in a restructured hospital is a better alternative than bearing the inconvenience and possibly higher expense of going overseas," he said.
He does not foresee recommending patients to head overseas.
Singapore's reputation as a medical hub also prompted an oncologist, who did not want to be named, to say: "While foreigners are coming in, getting Singaporeans to seek help overseas would seem strange."
Singapore hospitals, public and private, saw 410,000 foreign patients in 2006.
The crux of the matter, said Professor Arthur Lim, president of the Medical Alumni Association, is that Medisave belongs to the patient.
"If he can get better treatment in a reputable overseas institution, or a treatment unavailable here, we should support the individual," he added.
He noted that the competition would also improve standards in the medical industry.
So will there be a rush for treatment overseas if people are allowed to use their Medisave?
For some, like medical sales manager Tricocia Low, 40, the inconvenience of having to travel is a deterrent, especially if follow-up procedures are needed or when complications arise.
"I would prefer my family to be with me if I need medical treatment. Besides, there's a reason foreigners are coming into Singapore for treatment," she said. (By MAVIS TOH/ The Straits Times/ ANN)
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