I am apprehensive about means testing in hospitals.

My mother, who suffered a stroke recently, had to be warded in hospital and stayed about 30 days in a B2 class ward.

The total unsubsidised bill was around $11,000; we were eventually billed $3,000 after the subsidy. All of it was paid through my Medisave.

We did not receive any subsidies for her subsequent rehabilitation care service.

When the means testing comes into effect, I doubt that I can afford to pay the $11,000 hospital bill. My brother and I will be hit hard as we belong to the now-dreaded middle-income household.

I realise that it is better that you stay poor or very rich if your loved ones go to the hospital as the means testing takes static assets such as income, property and savings accounts into consideration. And so, while the poor will have no problems with getting subsidies, the rich will go to private hospitals.

For now, how the means testing framework pans out remains hazy. But the devil will be in the details.

I am also surprised to learn that Singaporeans depend so heavily on Government subsidies when it comes to hospitalisation.

In other countries, people buy private insurance schemes to cover hospitalisation. Though we may not want to follow the route of the United States where you will not be warded if you are not covered by insurance, it is a way to subsidise one's hospitalisation expenses if it has to be paid in cash form.

It is time private insurance companies promote health insurance schemes actively here so that the Government will not have to constantly worry about our populace not having enough cash to pay for hospitalisation.

Gilbert Goh Keow Wah

Hubei, China