Recently, the Straits Times reported that the healthcare policy changes announced by PM Lee Hsien Loong are "significant”. The newspaper said: "The extension of MediShield into MediShield Life is tantamount to having a universal national health insurance...” (emphasis added)
The position change is indeed significant but for another reason. For decades, the Government has insisted that healthcare costs in Singapore must be primarily paid for by the user and the user only. Mr Lee Kuan Yew said: "...nobody derails the idea of having individual accounts for CPF and Medisave. Whatever you earn, it’s yours.”
Of course, PM Lee's announcement of MediShield Life does not mean that Singaporeans' burden of paying for healthcare will be eased (the details of the scheme have yet to be announced) but it is interesting to see how the PAP is, at least, re-working its rhetoric.
So, why the change? Why after decades of intransigence did the PAP finally relent to taking another look at healthcare financing?
The position switch came only after the SDP launched our National Healthcare Plan in 2012. Since the launch, the SDP has repeatedly campaigned for our healthcare system to be made universal (see here, here, here, here, here, here, here and here.)
We had also promised to take our message to the electorate at the next general elections and campaign on the need for a universal healthcare system.
That same year in December, Health Minister Gan Kim Yong announced that there would be a review of healthcare costs. He followed up by saying in the Budget debate this year that the review "will involve fundamental shifts."
It is important to point out this development because the SDP has been portrayed by our opponents as being confrontational and destructive. The change in the Government's outlook in the healthcare debate demolishes such a portrayal.
It is significant that the PAP has after decades come round to the SDP's idea that our healthcare system must be universal. In other words, the Singapore Democrats have been a constructive opposition party helping to make life better for Singaporeans.
Without the SDP pushing, there is no impetus for the PAP Government to change its approach towards healthcare.
We are working hard to be successful at the next polls so that we can push for a comprehensive revamp of our healthcare financing system, instead of the piecemeal changes that seem to be taking place.
There are also the other issues of housing and population that need close scrutiny and constructive debate in Parliament. Our goal is to get into Parliament to expand the discussion and, through our alternative policies, make Singapore a happier and more secure place to live in.
We continue to strive to be the competent, constructive and compassionate party worthy of the support of our fellow citizens.
The SDP National Healthcare Plan: Caring for All Singaporeans is available for download here.
Source: YourSDP.Org