Price Hike

I was at Alexandra Hospital for my dental consultation this morning. When I was paying at the cashier for my prescription…I heard this fifty something or sixty man complaining to the pharmacist that the medicine that his paying is expensive. In a loud tone…“So expensive? Got subsidy or not? I’m a Singaporean leh…so expensive I buy from outside better”. You can see the shell-shocked face of the pharmacist…looking at the prices lost for words. I made my payments and exit the hospital. I didn’t stay behind to see the ending to the commotion…as I already know what the outcome would be. What he said is true and complaining to the pharmacist will not help make the matter any better…she is after all just a pharmacist.

I was thinking to myself…when I age and fall sick…would I be able to pay the medical bills? Yes there is subsidy but to a certain extent…and what if it’s a long-term illness…how long can my saving lasts? I would definitely be a burden to the family if anything like this should happen. That is why you can hear some old folks from the less fortunate families saying that if they have terminal illness…they would rather die than suffer…not only financially and mentally…but the burden they bring to their family.

The price has been rising…the gst…the medical…recently the taxi fare hike…and soon the public transport…even retirement age is rising…everything is rising and it will not stop…whether we like it or not…there is no choice or is there? No wonder survey showed that Singaporeans are the most unhappy in the region.