THE proposal for the Government to provide insurance cover related to deliveries for obstetricians in the private sector after they have retired from practice will engender great resistance and resentment from the paying public ("Private obstetricians contribute a lot to healthcare" by Dr Wong Mun Tat; yesterday).
While nobody will dispute the fact that obstetricians provide an essential service in the private sector, the essence of the service is not altruistic but mainly for monetary gain.
It is understandable that the Government continues to pay for tail-end insurance coverage for public-service obstetricians who have operated under the aegis of public health institutions ("MOH to cover obstetricians in retirement"; Monday).
For private-sector obstetricians to ask for this similar privilege is akin to having one's cake and eating it too.
While they are productive, private obstetricians can prudently put aside a bigger portion of their lucrative takings into a pot for insurance, to be dipped into when they retire, and hope the authorities put in a contributory share, too, in recognition of the essential delivery services that the profession offers.
Almost all doctors in Singapore have medical insurance coverage through NTUC Income or the London-based Medical Protection Society. There is little competition, and doctors are held hostage.
In the United States, there are insurers specialising in providing only tail insurance for retiring doctors. Our market is very small but, perhaps, we could entice such boutique insurance providers to offer their services at more friendly rates here.
Yik Keng Yeong (Dr)
While nobody will dispute the fact that obstetricians provide an essential service in the private sector, the essence of the service is not altruistic but mainly for monetary gain.
It is understandable that the Government continues to pay for tail-end insurance coverage for public-service obstetricians who have operated under the aegis of public health institutions ("MOH to cover obstetricians in retirement"; Monday).
For private-sector obstetricians to ask for this similar privilege is akin to having one's cake and eating it too.
While they are productive, private obstetricians can prudently put aside a bigger portion of their lucrative takings into a pot for insurance, to be dipped into when they retire, and hope the authorities put in a contributory share, too, in recognition of the essential delivery services that the profession offers.
Almost all doctors in Singapore have medical insurance coverage through NTUC Income or the London-based Medical Protection Society. There is little competition, and doctors are held hostage.
In the United States, there are insurers specialising in providing only tail insurance for retiring doctors. Our market is very small but, perhaps, we could entice such boutique insurance providers to offer their services at more friendly rates here.
Yik Keng Yeong (Dr)
