REPORT: NG WAN CHING [email protected] S HE was halfway through her pregnancy and see- ing a doctor here. Then Madam Hiuk Mee Yiun decided she would give birth in Malaysia, to save some money – about half of what she’d pay if she were to deliver in Singapore. She’s not the only one heading to Malaysia to save on medical bills. (See other report on page 10.) That number appears to be growing. Since Mar 1 last year, Singapore residents have been allowed to use their Medisave for elective hospitalisa- tion overseas. The scheme kicked off with 12 hospitals and medi- cal centres in Malaysia run by two Singapore-based private health-care providers – Health Management International (HMI) and Parkway Holdings. HMI and Parkway Holdings said they’ve had more people enquiring about their services in Malaysia. Growing number HMI said there’s been a 60 per cent increase in the number of Singaporeans and Singapore permanent residents (PRs) in its hospitals in Malaysia since last March compared to 2009. It declined to give specific numbers. “The patients come for a wide range of medical treatment, including ENT (ear, nose and throat), obstet- rics and gynaecology, ophthalmology, orthopaedics, endoscopy and health screening,” said an HMI spokes- man. At Parkway, 34 patients to date have been referred to Pantai group of hospitals and Gleneagles Kuala Lumpur. “The majority of the cases we have processed are women in their 20s to 30s who have undergone obstet- rics procedures,” said a Parkway spokesman. Patients are also using their Medisave to cover their medical bill overseas. From Mar 1 to Dec 31 last year, 58 patients who went overseas to seek elective medical treatment claimed just under $125,000 from Medisave, said a Ministry of Health (MOH) spokesman. But it wasn’t just cost that persuaded Madam Hiuk to deliver her first baby in Malacca. She’s a Malaysian citizen and a Singapore PR. Her parents live in Malacca, her hometown. But being allowed to use her Medisave to offset her hospital bills and the hospitalisation fees in Malaysia sealed it for her. The 32-year-old corporate secretary has been living and working here for the past six years. She said she was comfortable returning to Malacca, including the hospital where she was going to give birth in. Said Madam Hiuk in an interview with The New Paper on Sunday: “It is much cheaper for me to do it this way. I saved a lot of money.” (See graphics.) And there was very little inconvenience despite the distance from Malacca to Singapore. Also, she regularly returned home – once every two to three months – to see her parents and parents-in-law. Her husband, a fellow Malaysian, also has Singa- pore permanent residency. The couple own an HDB flat. When Madam Hiuk first discovered she was pregnant, she went to a private obstetrician and gynaecologist in Toa Payoh. She had five check-ups here, spending about $100 plus each time. She did not ask about any maternity packages at that point. “After that, I calculated that it would not be worth it for me to sign up for the maternity package, where you pay one lump sum for a series of check-ups, including delivery of the baby, as I had already lost out on the first few check-ups. “Anyway, I had also thought that I might be giving birth in a Malaysian hospital,” she said. She contacted Mahkota Hospital herself and made her own appointment with a doctor there. “I sent all my medical reports to the doctor in Mahkota. I also informed the doctor here that I was going to Malacca to deliver my baby,” she said. After that, she had her check-ups in Malacca at the Mahkota Hospital, run by HMI. Prepared Two weeks before her due date, she went on maternity leave and went home to Malacca. “People told me the first baby could come earli- er, so I went back two weeks before I was due,” she said. As it was, her baby boy was born on the actual due date – Nov 6. “I was very happy. Everything went very smooth- ly. The room in the hospital was very nice,” she said. She stayed in a two-bed room in the hospital for a night. Her baby had some issues with “high blood sugar”. “It was a minor issue and he was taken care of by doctors in the same hospital,” she said. Continued on PAGE 10 News Stapled Haemorrhoidectomy Hernia Repair Coronary Angiogram Percutaneous Transluminal Coronary Angioplasty Hysterectomy Normal Delivery Caesarean Delivery Cataract Surgery Total Knee Replacement Total Hip Replacement Gastroscopy Colonoscopy Functional Endoscopic Sinus Surgery 2,956 1,684 1,870 8,968 3,750 1,600 2,900 1,530 8,333 10,416 341 500 2,651 2,726 1,578 2,470 9,675 3,150 1,200 1,950 1,832 7,805 9,108 152 283 3,044 3,151 3,827 4,665 20,215 8,013 2,955 6,111 3,075 17,065 16,525 596 1,424 NA 6,880 9,740 NA 29,123 NA 5,562 9,119 4,503 26,181 NA 1,031 1,701 7,000+ PRICE COMPARISON FOR COMMON PROCEDURES REGENCY $S Parkway group of hospitals in Malaysia: Normal Delivery - $840, Caesarean Delivery - $1,600 MAHKOTA S$ RESTRUCTURED HOSPITAL $S SINGAPORE MALAYSIA MOUNT ELIZABETH $S CHEAPER: Some Singaporeans are going to Mahkota Medical Centre in Malacca for medical treatment PICTURE: HEALTH MANAGEMENT INTERNATIONAL “I’m also very happy that I didn’t have to come up with a single cent out of my pocket. In Singapore, I estimate it would have cost me at least twice as much.” – Madam Hiuk Mee Yiun, a Singapore PR (below), who gave birth to her boy in Mahkota hospital in Malacca More Singaporeans are going to Malaysia for medical procedures. The reason? It’s cheaper there. But are lower prices everything in health care? TNP INFOGRAPHICS: TEOH YI-CHIE She cuts medical fees by HALF 8 13 February 2011 ● THE NEW PAPER ON SUNDAY THE NEW PAPER ON SUNDAY ● 13 February 2011 9