When MediShield Life was mooted, there were a lot of expectations that this is it, a comprehensive national health insurance scheme to replace all the bits and pieces that did not fit together, with a lot of gaps and a lot of unnecessary overlapping. Here there is, a newly cocked up, oops, I mean cooked up plan to take care of everyone from cradle to grave, no one will miss out.
And yesterday it was passed in Parliament in the second sitting like a miracle cure-all drug. Everyone in Parliament is elated, so proud of being part of this process to bring this baby to life. A great achievement that would go down in history, a historic moment that everyone wants to be counted in. No need to read the fine prints.
So, is it really that fantastic a scheme? What does it seek to achieve or to replace? Let me think, I thought, yes I thought, it would replace all the schemes in the CPF and those private insurance. I thought it would replace the MediShield A and B plans. And I think that’s it. Someone was asking me, you mean this comprehensive, national, compulsory and mother of all insurance schemes that was praised sky high by the MPs only replaces the CPF MediShield Plans?
What about the Medisave, what about the Medisave Minimum Sum Schemes, still existing in toto, still got to put money in them like before, still increasing every year? So what, does it mean that the Sinkies would now have to pay for this comprehensive national health plan, and still got to sink in money into the Medisave and still got to have their money locked up in Medisave Minimum Sum, and the amount keeps adjusting upwards with inflation, with no age or time limit?
Wah lan, what is happening? Cover head, cover bottom, cover front, cover backside. The only thing that is not covered is the people’s money, keep going out into all the schemes.
So, are the Sinkies better off? Sure, except that their money in the CPF may not be enough for retirement. And for those who are not working, the jobless and retirees, got no money to put into all these schemes, maybe they would get some subsidies to help them pay for all these schemes.
Did Sinkies ask the govt for it? Did Sinkies ask the govt to help them? Never mind, the govt will help even if the Sinkies did not ask the govt to help them and then point the finger insisting that the daft asked for help, asked for it. It is another entitlement thing, the govt is entitled to come out with any schemes and make the people pay. Sinkies are also entitled to govt help for all kinds of schemes to make life better for the Sinkies, except Sinkies ended up paying. Sinkies must be very grateful for all the help from the govt. What a blessing.
Want the govt to help some more?
Chua Chin Leng aka redbean
*The writer blogs at http://mysingaporenews.blogspot.com