Skip to main content

Advertisement

Advertisement

A single-payer universal healthcare system has its benefits

Many in Singapore believe in “trade-offs” in healthcare policy outcomes — that is, to have more equitable healthcare, the state needs to take on a higher burden of healthcare spending, which may mean higher taxes.

Many in Singapore believe in “trade-offs” in healthcare policy outcomes — that is, to have more equitable healthcare, the state needs to take on a higher burden of healthcare spending, which may mean higher taxes.

Yet a single-payer universal healthcare system based on a compulsory national health insurance model can stem the rise in healthcare costs by increasing risk pooling among a larger population, and allow for more bargaining power with pharmaceutical companies and medical service providers.

Such a system introduces a philosophy that we are all in this together and, as we pay directly into a national insurance system, we feel more passionately about monitoring and improving it.

This letter first appeared as a Facebook comment on the VoicesTODAY topic, “Healthcare: How to bring costs down?”.

Read more of the latest in

Advertisement

Advertisement

Stay in the know. Anytime. Anywhere.

Subscribe to get daily news updates, insights and must reads delivered straight to your inbox.

By clicking subscribe, I agree for my personal data to be used to send me TODAY newsletters, promotional offers and for research and analysis.