The only hard choice that the government needs to make is whether it is here to serve SINGAPOREANS or just the rich.
As long as we allow medical services to be a commodity that serves the richest from the world, then our healthcare system is doomed to fail. Never mind all the new shifts that were spoken off, or the provision of universal coverage.
The irony in following economic principles for healthcare will ensure the most dismay outcome for most SINGAPOREANS.
If we continue to allow the rich patients to come to SINGAPORE to seek treatment, it will perpetuate two distinct tiers of healthcare system.
One, the private hospitals that exist to serve the richest.
Two, the public hospitals that strive painfully to serve the majority.
It may seem reasonable to say let the market decide. The private practices are free to charge any amount — willing buyer, willing seller.
However, the unspoken pitfall is that private hospitals will lure the best talents from the public ones. After the young doctors serve their bond, many will leave public hospitals to seek richer pastures.
To fill in the gaps, public hospitals may resort to recruit from other countries. These are medical professionals whom even if they are deemed as qualified, many do not understand speak our language. I had the unpleasant experience of bringing my parent for a treatment, and the doctor was not a SINGAPOREAN and did not speak dialect or mandarin. Thankfully I was present to act as a translator.
It is unacceptable that the government now tosses the burden and decisions to the people. The people are not paid to do so, neither do they have the macro data to decide. If the people can collectively solve such issues, then why the need for a highly paid government?
For a start, the government should levy a super healthcare tax on foreigners seeking treatment in Singapore. I will let the capable Government to decide what is the ideal tax to collect since it is most capable of extracting taxes from SINGAPOREANS. The tax collected can help defray the medical costs of Singaporeans.
Whether the Government wants to serve the ordinary people or just the rich, it is not a hard choice after all. Failing this, the People will have an easy choice at the next GE.
Kampong Boy