You Are On Your Own... Confirmed

Not very happy to see the CPF logo on the envelope. With a sense of foreboding, I tore it open.

MediShield is a catastrophic medical insurance scheme (I think mine's pretty catastrophic) designed to help Singaporeans pay part of large hospitalisation bills for treatment of serious illnesses or prolonged hospitalisations at the Class B2/C level. Similar to other insurance schemes (if you are just like the rest, it further reinforces the belief that you are a vehicle to lock in our money), MediShield has standard exclusions. Some of the standard exclusions are congenital anomalies and hereditary conditions, pre-existing illnesses and mental illnesses. These standard exclusions are applicable to all members insured under the scheme and are in place to keep premiums affordable.

For your hospitalisation at No Use Hospital from 25 September 2011 to 4 November 2011, we have confirmed with your attending doctor at No Use Hospital that your Kxxxxxxxxxxxx and sxxxxxxxx condition is related to your hereditary spinal deformity condition (Is MD considered a "hereditary spinal deformity condition"???). As such, we are sorry that MediShield is unable to pay for your treatments relating to your hereditary condition as it falls under the MediShield standard exclusion.

If you have difficulties in paying your outstanding bill, please approach No Use Hospital Business Centre directly. Alternatively, you may also contact No Use Hospital's Medical Social Worker helpdesk at 6722 5167, for assistance with the payment of the outstanding bill. (I called up the MSW direct, who never called back. Of course she wouldn't, especially when it isn't an official assignment. My bad.)

So how? Continue to make noise appeal? Will perseverance help? Try the MSW again, through the proper channel this time? But I think they will just offer me an installment plan at most. Not interested in wasting time on negotiations when what I really want is a subsidy of some sort.

And so, I turn to the corporations. The Standard Chartered Manhattan credit card to the rescue again!

It's silly to pay a lump sum of $7,706.55 and get only $200 in rebate. What if I broke it up into 3 payments of at least $3,000 each? With 5% rebate, I can potentially get $385.32 in rebates, right? However, I wasn't sure if that is allowed by the hospital... wouldn't that be installments in disguise without prior agreement? Should I seek permission first?

Aiyah heck lah. Not as if I'm not paying.

Now, there are only 2 Manhattan cards in the family. Should I try waiting for the next quarter to settle the last chunk? Or I could use some help...

What a coincidence that Brother has some big spending coming up.
Plan:
Me $3,000
Brother $1,706.55. Surely he could top it up to $3,000 easily.
W $3,000

Thanks StanChart for being with me during the whole of this financially-draining period and subsidizing $685.32 of my $46,342.23 bill!

Emailed finance to ask for one more payment slip.