【转译】为什么在新加坡需要买个人住院保险（持公司有保险论的人需要看）
介绍：
这 篇文章是新加坡政府在2008年大力推荐新加坡人买个人住院保险，因为新加坡政府已经发现新加坡政府的养老金系统的medishield和所谓的公司团体 保险远远达不到住院账单的需求。在
新加坡工作学习的同胞们更适用，因为你们的住院费用，比singaporeans, 会高一个层次，因为你没有任何subsidy。谈到公司保险时，也注意文中说到的”Insurability"
新加坡人的保险的合理性和 规范性也让新加坡人从小就有保险意识，对保险不排斥。而中国的保险市场的不合理性让中国人对保险有排斥心理，这种排斥心理也不可避免地带到了新加坡。我一 个PWC的准PRC客户跟我讲：虽然我没买，但我的新加坡同事都是一套套买的，他们真的很重视这一部分。
正文（后段）
SINGAPOREANS should not await the full details of means testing before buyingthe right medical insurance plan to defray the cost of hospitalisation, said MrEddy Cheong, who heads financial advisory firm Providend's family officeservices. He noted that people tend to procrastinate when it comes to reviewingtheir medical insurance.
Eddy Cheong说：“新加坡人不能迟疑（地等待某一具体政策），要果断个人买住院保险”。他意识到人们会拖延考虑医药保险。
'Maybe the thinking is that hospitalisation won't happen to them or that theycould easily go for the cheapest ward, that is, Class C, to reduce cost.
“也许他们想，住院不会发生在他们身上，或者他们可以得到最便宜的病房，也就是病房C，来降低开销。
'With means testing, not everyone is eligible for the full subsidy of the wardand hence they have to pay more either in cash or from Medisave,' he said.
”在means testing下，不是每个人都可以得到充分的病房补助，于是他们需要付更多现金，或从Medisave拿钱出来“他说。
Said Mr StanleyJeremiah, the managing director of Convergys Employee Care, Asia Pacific:'There is more reason now for the man in the street to ensure that he has alifetime medical insurance plan and that he puts aside enough money forinsurance premiums post-retirement.'
Convergys EmployeeCare的Stanley Jeremiah说：现在的普通人更需要一个终身的个人医疗保险，并且分出足够的钱来付医疗保险费用。
Currently, private Shield plans can be funded from one's Medisave account,subject to an annual cap of $800.
现在，个人公积金医疗保险可以用medisave 买，一年800块。（笔者注：现在已经只要300多块了，从第一分钱起，报销所有账单数目，不管私立医院还是政府医院）
However, as the premiums rise with one's age, it is important to ensure thatone has sufficient monies to fund future premiums to prevent policies fromlapsing.
然而，保费会随着年龄增长，一个人要保证有足够的钱来在未来的人生中续保。
Another reason to buy health plans early is insurability. Insurers shy awayfrom covering conditions such as high blood pressure so it is best to purchasea health plan while one is still young and healthy.
另一个原因是，买健康险计划是要有”可保性“。（保险公司不保病史），特别是诸如高血压的病史，所以一定要在你年轻和健康时，来买健康险计划。
In fact, some experts advise going for the highest health cover that one canafford.
事实上，一些专家建议，在可以支持的前提下，买最高的健康保障，
This is because insurers allow you to switch to lower-priced plans withoutunderwriting, or assessing your health condition, but the reverse is notpermitted.
这是因为保险公司允许你换去更便宜的保险计划，而不需要审核，但是反之却不行。
People typically delay buying personal health plans because they are alreadycovered by their employer's insurance programme.
人们通常拖延买个人健康计划的原因，是因为他们已经有公司住院保险了
However, most of these programmes are not portable and the cover ceases whenthe person leaves the job. By that time, he may no longer be considered insurableif he has been diagnosed with certain medical conditions.
然而，多数公司住院保险不能带走，保障会在离职时解除。那时，他可能不再有可保性，假如他已经被诊断出过他有什么病症。
It is a fact that health-care cost will continue to rise as patients demandbetter medicines and procedures.
事实上，健康护理的成本会继续上升，因为客人要求更好的药物和治疗过程。
All over the world, medical inflation typically exceeds general inflation.
全世界的医疗通胀，比平均市场通胀要高。
A lucky few might have ample savings to dig into for their health-careexpenses, but the majority are better off transferring some of the risk and costof health care to insurers in return for a premium that can be paid out ofMedisave.
一小部分人也许有充分的储蓄来付健康护理的费用，但是大多数人还是最好，用合理的保费，来转移风险去保险公司。
What to look for in hospitalisation insurance cover
考虑住院保险的保障因为注意些什么
Appropriate level of cover
合适的保障
Financial experts agree that the first thing to ensure is a lifetime medicalinsurance plan that provides the cover one expects.
金融专家同意，第一要保的，是一个终身的医疗保险。
For instance, if you expect to stay in a Class B1 ward, you should then buy ahospital plan with B1 coverage. If you have done that, then the bulk of anyhospital bill would be covered by insurance, even if you are not eligible forthe full subsidy because of means testing, said Mr Cheong.
比如，如果你想住B1病房，你应该买B1的费用保障。如果你已经做到了，大多数账单费用会被保险覆盖，即使你得不到充分的政府补助，Cheong先生说。
He added that as Shield plans are now tailored according to particular wards,consumers should buy plans that match their health-care expectations.
他还补充说，现在的住院盾牌保险（比如AIA的HealthShield)，会根据不同的病房订价（现在没有了）
In fact, Mr Leong Sze Hian, the president of the Society of Financial ServiceProfessionals, advised that Singaporeans must have one of the Central ProvidentFund (CPF) hospitalisation Shield plans as they all incorporate the basicMediShield plans. The latter is the CPF Board's opt-out health insurancescheme.
事实上，Leong Sze Hian先生，金融服务从业人员协会的主席，建议说，新加坡人必需有一个CPF住院盾牌保险(比如AIA的HealthShield), 因为他整合了基本的Medishield计划. Medishield计划是可以退掉的CPF健康险计划。
Lifetime cover
终生保障
Another reason to go for a private Shield plan is that it offers the 'bestlifetime cover', said Mr Jeremiah, who pointed out that the MediShield coverceases when one turns 85.
另一个原因是一个个人住院保险提供”最好的终生保障“， Jeremiah先生说。他还指出Medishield的保障只到85岁. (AIA的Healthshield到100岁）
Guaranteed renewal
保障续保
To ensure continuity of cover, Mr Patrick Lim, the associate director offinancial advisory firm PromiseLand Independent, suggests that hospitalisationplans should guarantee renewability every year.
为确保保障的持续性，Patrick Lim先生，金融咨询公司PromiseLand Independent的副总裁，建议说住院保险应该确保每年续保。(AIA的Healthshield已经确认每年可以续保，只要按时交年费）
'This is to provide continuous coverage as well as address longevity risks,' hesaid.
”这是为了确保连续保障，以及长寿带来的风险“，他说
As-charged feature
按账单报销
Almost all private Shield plans offer this feature, which removes the benefitlimits on the amount that can be claimed each day for hospital stay andprocedures.
几乎所有的个人盾牌计划（如AIA HealthShield)都有这点，而没有每天的医疗上限。
如已投保团险，个人购买保险时应先清晰了解。例如，单位投保了住院费用医疗保险，自已则可以补充投保住院补贴保险。如果单位没有为员工投保重大疾病保险，个人可考虑实际情况补充投保该险种。
IP卡
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沉默卡
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变色卡
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