Become aware of Medical Costs in Singapore

Become aware ! ..sounds like a yogi giving an advise. But this is something based on my experience so far. One must be aware of the costs involved whenever going for medical consultation in Singapore. When we are new in a country, we are not aware of how the charges are made up!. Let see this real life example :

I had been to a hospital here for medical consultation. My first visit to this hospital was 8 months back. Now when I went there again this time, I had changed the Dr. for some reason(basically I wanted to get second opinion and I was not convinced the way Dr. treated me last time). So when I was billed this time, the cashier gave me bill of $97 as against $75 for a patient for subsequent visit !. As I was aware of this fact as written there on the reception. I asked her why I am charged for $97 being a subsequent visitor to the same hospital. She said it is because I changed the Dr. :) ...I mentioned her very assertively that what difference does it make as it is still the same hospital .. She resisted a bit but eventually changed the bill to $75.

I was surprised to see this kind behavior from a reputed hospital.

Refer to : Saving on cost of Medical consultation in Singapore

Rising Health care costs :(

The point I would like to make here is that the health care cost is increasing YoY & there is no limit to it. It all depends on where you go. If you visit a big hospital the charges are high. Visit the same Dr. in his private clinic, he would probably charge 30% less :). I remember paying Rs. 50 for consultation in Bangalore in 2000. Now the same Dr. charges Rs. 250. Yes its all about inflation. Everybody needs to cope up with that.

My personal suggestions :

• Visit the personal clinic of the Dr. instead of the Big Hospital(if possible)
• Try to maintain a family Dr., so that he does not put you into unnecessary tests/medication.(I remember going for a neck pain to a Dr. & he asked me to do MRI(Rs.6000) as it was available in the same hospital he was consulting !!)
  
• For Pathology Tests, try to visit the nearest pathology lab, instead of doing it via the hospital pathology lab.(You will be surprised !!)
• Give importance to convenience(because you are sick), but lets not hospital take advantage of it.
• Try to ask around in your network before you visit the Dr. for Special consultation like Orthopedic, Skin etc .. Your friends can refer to a good Dr.