- Singapore Health Insurance Information
In Singapore, the
performance of the country's healthcare industry comes under the watch of the
government's Ministry of Health. The
city state, in general, has a reputation of having efficient and well regulated
healthcare system. It is essentially
made of public funded universal healthcare system, with the private healthcare
providers playing complimentary role.
Official numbers released in 2006 indicated that crude birth rate was
10.1 for every 1000 people -- a result from successful implementation of both
control policies, and the crude death rate at 4.3 for every 1000 people made it
one of the lowest among the countries in the world.
The report also pointed out that fertility rate for
individual woman in Singapore was
1.26 (making it the 3rd lowest internationally) and fell short of the desired
population refresh rate of 2.10. In
2000, Singapore
was recognized by World Health Organization (or WHO for short) as having the 6th
best health care system in the world.
In singapore, the
government makes sure of basic health care remains affordable for its overall
population. This is achieved through
two pronged approaches: enforced savings and price controls.
On the other hand, the private healthcare providers serve the market for
more extended and expanded health care needs.
Expenditure relating to healthcare investment represents
just 3% of the country's gross domestic product (or GDP for short), with the
private sector responsible for up to 66% of this figure.
World Health Organization stated that currently
Singapore
enjoys the lowest infant mortality rate internationally (a record only equaled
by Iceland)
and it is among the top countries with the highest life expectancies.
Watson Wyatt, a global consulting firm, also credited
Singapore's healthcare system.
In its words: "Singapore has one of the most successful healthcare system
in the world, in terms of both efficiency in financing and the results achieved
in community health outcomes."
Indeed, most recognized that this successful
singapore
model used in health care system is hard to replicate in most other countries.
Among the many measures employed by the government are:
-
Enforced savings through payroll deduction.
-
National catastrophic health insurance plan.
-
Government subsidies.
-
Regulation of prices and supply of healthcare
services.
For more affluent Singaporeans who wish to have
more coverage than the basic scope provided by the national scheme, they can
turn to private healthcare insurance providers.
The delivery system in Singapore healthcare is
made up of 10 public (government) hospitals, some 13 private hospitals and a
number of specialist clinics, each styled or designed to carry out different
procedures (at widely different charges) according to patients needs.
Residents are able to decide on any government
or private medical facilities for the required medical treatment.
Additionally, all 24-hours accident and emergency departments run by the
government hospitals does not turn away any walk-in patients looking to receive
treatment.
Singapore hosts
some of the finest medical facilities the world has to offer, and some of the
medical professionals here come with excellent credentials in terms of
outstanding qualifications and practical experiences.
If you wish to have further information about
international medical insurance or
a
free quote, please
do not hesitate to
contact one of our highly
trained advisors.