Integrated Shield Plan at Parkway Hospital: Bill Estimate

This submit was written in collaboration with IHH Healthcare Singapore. Whereas we’re financially compensated by them, we nonetheless try to take care of our editorial integrity and evaluation merchandise with the identical goal lens. We’re dedicated to offering one of the best suggestions and recommendation so as so that you can make private monetary selections with confidence. You possibly can view our Editorial Tips right here.

Medical prices are usually regarded as costly, particularly when it includes hospitalisation, long-term care and surgical procedure for main circumstances.

Selecting government-subsidised public healthcare appears to be the obvious selection, particularly since the usual of healthcare in Singapore is fairly up there — so why do many nonetheless go for personal hospitals and the way can they afford it?

You see, with all the pieces, it’s at all times a tussle between choosing essentially the most cost-effective choice however sacrificing creature comforts resembling privateness, ready time and so forth. Whereas public hospitals can present primary healthcare, non-tangibles such because the “premium” service at personal hospitals could make all of the distinction.

Some examples:

• Ready to get an appointment slot, or attending to see a specialist throughout the subsequent day and surgical procedure inside 48 hours
• Would you relatively select your physician, or simply have anybody attend to you?
• What sort of surroundings would you wish to recuperate in? An enormous room with 7 different sufferers or to have your personal air-conditioned room to your self so you may recuperate in peace and quiet?

Particularly for many who wish to beat an sickness and get again to regular life ASAP, the flexibility to decide on an skilled physician and search remedy soonest can undoubtedly assist.

What does your protection appear to be?

In Singapore, we’ve these essential hospital-related insurance coverage:

There’s MediShield Life, a primary medical insurance plan that’s administered by the Central Provident Fund (CPF) Board. MediShield Life helps to pay for big hospital payments and chosen pricey outpatient therapies, resembling chemotherapy for most cancers and dialysis. All Singapore Residents and Everlasting Residents are coated for all times, together with those that have pre-existing circumstances. The protection by MediShield Life is determined by the kind of hospital and ward you might be in (favours B2/C-types wards; these in A/B1 or in a personal hospital will obtain decrease protection).

One other authorities scheme is MediSave, during which a sure sum of money is put aside out of your wage every month in your CPF account. These financial savings can be utilized to pay for surgical procedure, hospitalisation, well being screenings, medical insurance coverage and extra, for each your self and your loved ones members. Therefore, what is just not coated by MediShield Life might be additional topped up together with your MediSave earlier than you should use money.

Going again to MediShield Life, this may be mixed with an Built-in Defend Plan (IP) purchased by a personal insurer. Which means out of the coated quantity, a portion (relying which hospital/ward you’re in) comes from MediShield Life and the rest is roofed by the insurer (in accordance with the plan bought). Simply so you recognize, IPs in Singapore aren’t allowed to cowl 100% of your whole hospital invoice, you’ll have to pay a lump-sum deductible and the co-insurance/co-payment portion. IP premiums may be paid for utilizing your MediSave monies (this additionally applies to your MediSave Life premiums).

Lastly, you have got IP Riders. These are added on to your Built-in Defend Plan IP riders and usually concentrate on lowering the deductible and the co-insurance/co-payment portion of your hospital invoice. The purpose is to maintain your out-of-pocket prices aka money as little as doable. Relying in your insurer, some riders could provide additional advantages, resembling hospital money advantages, medical protection and even ambulance rides. Sadly, the premiums for IP Riders can solely be paid with money.

Sounds simple, however we nonetheless have considerations, for instance:

• How are the above plans really utilized in a real-world scenario? When going through an pressing medical situation, not having an thought of the prices concerned can add to uncertainty, worry and different worries.
• Having an IP Rider is an out-of-pocket price. Couple this with the 2018 ruling of obligatory 5% co-payment for brand new insurance policies issued (the outdated plan with IP riders was in a position to cowl 100% of the co-payment quantities) and also you’re most likely questioning what’s the purpose of getting the IP Rider anyway? Additionally, do you have to simply dispose of IPs altogether and rely solely on MediShield Life/MediSave, or downgrade your personal hospital plan?

However wait! Let’s not be hasty and take a look at some prices first earlier than we decide — when you downgrade or cancel, do you have to instantly change your minds, it may be irreversible and even costlier to get again the identical quantity of protection (we’d advise you to have a prolonged dialogue together with your agent on this).

How a lot would you really pay with an Built-in Defend Plan?

As the price differs in accordance with the kind of medical process concerned, we’ll use 5 frequent procedures as examples.

Estimated out-of-pocket prices for five frequent procedures at a personal hospital in Singapore

Supply: Mount Elizabeth Hospital

Disclaimers

• The out-of-pocket estimates supplied are primarily based on present insurance coverage coverage info as of 1 April 2021, with pre-authorisation out of your insurer. We suggest that you simply contact your insurer
  to request for pre-approval of your medical invoice earlier than hospitalisation or surgical procedure.
• The estimated invoice and common size of keep are calculated primarily based on historic information and serves solely as information. The invoice measurement will differ relying on the severity of situation and different components. 
• IHH Healthcare disclaims any and all legal responsibility, attributed to the usage of this invoice estimator
• Estimated invoice is taken on the fiftieth percentile (which implies that 50% of the sufferers are charged under the quantity).

^#Be aware: All riders offered from March 8 2018 have a co-payment ingredient of at the very least 5% of the hospital invoice. Most insurers are even be transiting full riders to co-pay riders from April 2021 so upon your renewal of your rider plan this yr, you may be topic to a 5% co-payment. We’d advise you to talk to your agent to seek out out extra. 

Chances are you’ll be questioning how a lot does this 5% account to? The overall quantity a policyholder has to pay may be capped at $3,000 a yr. The cap is contingent on (1) policyholders being handled by docs on the insurer’s panel, or (2) policyholders having had pre-authorisation from the insurer to hunt remedy from docs not on the panel.

You may as well scale back this 5% out-of-pocket prices through the use of your company insurance coverage (if in case you have) and Medisave (topic to assert limits) to offset the quantity.

When you’ve executed your sums and getting an IP with an IP Rider appears to make good sense to you, one other price to think about is the value of those IP and IP Rider premiums. Right here’s one other desk of ballpark figures so that you can peruse:

Built-in Defend comparability 2021: Personal hospital IPs & IP Riders

*For Singapore residents aged 35

Supply

Be aware: These are simply estimated figures. Some insurers’ premiums could enhance over time. Do examine instantly together with your insurer for the up to date and correct figures in your particular person premium.

Advantages of searching for remedy at IHH SG personal hospitals

Along with the helpful hospital invoice estimator instrument, there are additionally different useful price and financing sources.

For instance, on the Mount Elizabeth Hospital web site, you too can get a great take a look at hospital room charges for larger transparency, together with day charges, nursery charges, the intensive care unit and all out there room varieties.

There’s even a information to utilizing your insurance coverage to pay hospital payments, and useful tricks to study extra in regards to the built-in defend plans and obtain minimal payments. 

Parkway Insurance coverage Concierge

At IHH SG hospitals, sufferers may search assist by the not too long ago launched Parkway Insurance coverage Concierge through WhatsApp or Name @ 9834 0999. The platform serves to reply queries associated to the protection of sufferers’ insurance coverage, panel docs, estimated out-of-pocket prices, and will help sufferers make an appointment. Abstract of providers:

• No third social gathering charges
• Appointments booked inside 45 minutes
• Referral to related senior specialists 
• Panel docs
• 24-hour service

Getting an Built-in Defend Plan is fast and straightforward

Don’t but have an Built-in Defend Plan? You possibly can try the person insurers’ web sites and plans, or go to our MoneySmart Well being Insurance coverage Plans web page for a consolidated view for simpler comparability of advantages and price of premiums.

With enough insurance coverage protection, you will get one of the best remedy cash should buy however received’t have to pay sky-high payments. Personal hospitals are literally inexpensive with the correct Built-in Defend Plan and IP Rider — an out-of-pocket payment of $500 is akin to a one-night luxurious resort staycation, a round-trip aircraft ticket to Hong Kong, or an omakase meal for two. Why not use this $500 for peace of thoughts in a personal hospital as an alternative of spending months feeling harassed and fearful?

Undecided if in case you have an Built-in Defend plan and/or IP Rider? Do examine together with your insurance coverage agent on the protection you must estimate your hospital payments extra precisely.

Learn how inexpensive personal healthcare may be through Gleneagles Hospital, Mount Elizabeth Hospital, Mount Elizabeth Novena Hospital, and Parkway East Hospital invoice estimators or through the Parkway Insurance coverage Concierge hotline at 9834 0999 (name/WhatsApp). Know your choices.