No, Medishield Life makes you pay for the hiked premiums all the way to age 90 and beyond (see Medishield Life Premium Calculator example) - the premium calculator even accepts input from someone born before 1920. The MediShield Life Scheme Bill being rammed through parliament also makes it legal for Ah Kong to be fined $5,000, jailed for up to a year or both, should he run out of cash and defaults on the premium payment.
"The Bill (also) gives the national insurance administrator the same powers as that of the Inland Revenue Authority of Singapore to recover unpaid premiums, such as through employers or banks."
Worse, the wide-ranging powers bestowed to the administrator of the MediShield Life Scheme grant them unfettered access to people's income and health status without explicit consent from them. Personal data in Singapore is supposed to be protected under the Personal Data Protection Act 2012 (PDPA). Not so when the law is always malleable to those determined to collect more money. This is what happens when parliament is dominated by one political party.
The wide, some say wild, bordering on berserk, ranging powers are justified by the flaky argument that defaults on premiums will mean a heavier load on other policy holders. Including policy holders who have to pay full premiums even though they are living overseas for extended periods, and won't be in town to enjoy the "enhanced benefits". Friends of ours who have migrated but still hanging on to the red passport will have no choice but to finally burn the bridges.
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Oh shit! Really langgar dah!
ReplyDeleteWe deserve all these, because we elected a rubber stamp Parliament. Next is the Liquor Control (Supply and Consumption) Bill which plans to ban public consumption and retail sale of alcoholic drinks from 10:30pm to 7am islandwide, a bill that affects hundreds of thousands of drinkers, but based on the feedback of only 1,200 people. ..and a Minister who has the uncanny knack of sniffing alcohol in riotous situations. Cheers!
ReplyDeleteWe will all be 5 years older and the premiums will be higher.
ReplyDeleteTill death do us part.
A wonderfull scheme to milk money for insurers.. no wonder the Life Insurance Association keeps projecting growth in the insurance industry. .. in perpetuity.
In the case of private insurance policies, failure to pay the premiums will result in their cancellation generally. Unless the government pays for the policies there is absolutely no reason for this proposed new law. Even then, why can't the government allow the insurers to refuse or withhold payment until the premiums are paid instead on imposing criminal sanctions?
ReplyDeleteIf you have no money to pay for medishield life, where do you find money to pay the fine? That leaves the law the choice of throwing the elderly and poor into prison, because they lack the money to pay for ... medical insurance? Democracy big brother style, btw how did the WP folks vote on this bill?
ReplyDeleteFlaky ideed.i am truly concerned and if they pass this without some kind of a public concensus, it will be seriously high handed. What's next if this is allow to pass? There are many ways to bring the defaulters to task, don't take the easy way out!
ReplyDeleteI guarantee it will be passed. Just look at the Population bill that despite the unhappiness, it was passed.
DeleteWe have to thank the 60% for giving them wide ranging powers.
Come to think of it, they actually do not have the two-thirth majority if we didn't have the unfair GRC electoral system.
This govt is even more dictatorial than the pioneer one
Singaporeans and Permanent Residents have to pay Medishield Life premiums, so the only way to avoid this life tax is to quit the country and come back as a foreigner?
ReplyDeleteTime to take back the unfettered power this party is wielding on its people.
ReplyDeleteIt is no longer milking you more than they give They are now taking away your whole cow. This is the problem of one-party-state. They are tramping you all over at their whims and fancies.
ReplyDeleteWhat do we know about those 1200 poll participants? Do they happen to come from Geylang and little India residents? Who is the independent agency doing this? Over which period? How were questions phrased? Why does the sampled 1200 get to speak and represent the 3m voters to the extent that they get to pass important bills?! This reeks of HK 1200 legislative council members who represent ALL of HK voters?! Why don't we just scrap away election!!!!
ReplyDeleteWhen will they openly declare that locals on this little red dot are subjects of the Kingdom of Lanfang?
ReplyDeleteDamn bastards, now they are making use of the law to make sure everyone paid up. No ifs, no buts. They even want to check your bank account balances.
ReplyDeleteSo typical greedy & arrogant PAP, as if it is their latest motto.
Looks like they are getting everyone to share the Govt's burden of healthcare for the people. Isn't that basically what medical insurance is about ?
ReplyDeleteIs a business not a Govt's burden and has no competition.
ReplyDeleteEventually our medical bills for Medical healthcare insurance would be rejected likes myself.
I spent about $50,000.00 for my back operation privately and submitted a claim for less than $7,000.00 under the old scheme but was rejected because I was honest when I filled up the form many years ago I mentioned that I was seeking consultation regarding to my back and no further consultation was seek for many years until my later ages. So it paid to be honest and my claim was rejected on this basis.
As a Singapore living and working in the US for 20 years, this Medishield thing is a double whammy. I am already subjected to Obamacare and now Medishield. Looks like I really do have to give you my Singapore citizenship soon. Sigh!
ReplyDelete
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