I Did My Colonoscopy Going the Personal Route of Singapore Common Hospital. Full Expertise Right here. – Funding Moats

I needed to do a colonoscopy about two years in the past.

There are a few causes. I used to be 43-years-old again then. Not very younger but additionally not very outdated and I assumed it’s excessive time to get the internals checked. I’ve at all times struggled with constipation all my life and at all times have this concept that in comparison with others, my internals ought to be in a extra disastrous state. Secondly, my dad handed away from stage-4 colorectal most cancers.

There are sufficient motivations to do it.

I went by way of with my colonoscopy nearly a month in the past and I wish to use this submit to share a few of my expertise. The thought course of, issues, expertise, price, insurance coverage.

I believe a few of you may be contemplating or have thought-about this and might need related reservations until you might be sadly pressured to do. A prognosis like colonoscopy would possibly carry to you sure diploma of readability in an effort to reside a life with much less surprise behind your thoughts. If my readability will help you, then it may be price it to burn a few nights scripting this.

Why Ought to We Take into account Doing a Colonoscopy?

They are saying the colonoscopy is the gold-standard diagnostic screening if we wish to detect colorectal most cancers (CRC) and precancerous polyps early with a mix of fine accuracy, and potential polyp elimination in a single process.

A colonoscopy personally does two issues for me:

1. It’s a superior take a look at to know if I’ve some deep issues and probably solved them early and without delay (take into account as a process with fewest false negatives).
2. Permits me to have a peace of thoughts as an alternative of worrying an excessive amount of over the intermediate time period (false positives).

A colonoscopy take a look at has a 95% or extra sensitivity if our bowel prep is nice and will be relatively particular to rule out most cancers. This implies false positives is uncommon.

In the event that they discover precancerous growths (polyps) in the course of the process, they might try and take away it until the polyps is relatively massive.

Based on a 2019 New England Journal of Medication research with over 88,000 sufferers, colonoscopy reduces CRC incidence by 76% and mortality by 53%.

Through the process, a versatile tube with a digital camera is inserted by way of your rectum to look at your whole colon.

Selecting to Do My Colonoscopy through the Personal Route with Singapore Common Hospital (SGH)

After I was contemplating doing colonoscopy, I didn’t actually know a lot. Is it painful, how lengthy do I’ve to organize for it.

The most important unknown was the associated fee.

Is it a $30 out-of-pocket price or is it $1,000?

I attempted speaking to some folks however in the end nobody was capable of give me an precise determine.

One of many motive that in the course of the period the place personal hospital & surgical (H&S) plans similar to your personal defend and rider lined your cost for every thing.

So many paid zero greenback and when requested, they don’t know how a lot roughly it price.

However these days, our H&S defend plans and riders are costlier in premiums and even on the lowest we have now to pay 5% co-payment.

I finally knew the associated fee would seemingly be like $5000-$7000 if I go for personal and decrease if I go for authorities hospital.

I’m wondering with all that I knew about defend and rider payouts how a lot it’ll come to. I’ve the very best tier of Singlife Myshield, which implies I ought to be lined for non-emergency personal therapy. I even have a rider that covers the ten% co-insurance however not the deductible. This implies if I go for personal therapy, I’d a minimum of need to pay the deductible of $3,500.

If I go for a prognosis at a authorities hospital the associated fee can be decrease, however I believe the quantity can be lower than the deductible ($1.5k to $3.5k relying), and that this is able to be the quantity that I’ve to pay.

The associated fee will not be the one consideration.

I’m wondering if there will probably be limits or distinction in high quality of care between a diagnostic at authorities hospital or personal hospital.

My colleague offered me the concept that there will probably be lobster soup after my therapy if I go for personal therapy however that’s most likely not what curiosity me. I’ll share extra about this concern within the subsequent part.

In the long run, I go for the personal path to a authorities hospital.

A non-public route implies that I don’t get a referral from a polyclinic for a diagnostic and to use on to a authorities hospital.

This implies I am going in as an unsubsidized affected person and I can select my very own doctor if I want to.

That is undoubtedly going to be a extra expensive route.

My principal motive for doing that is to only expertise if there are any distinction versus the standard sponsored route. Is it quicker, do I get higher therapy?

This personal route is much less talked about and I feel whether it is inside my monetary functionality, let me simply element it out so that you simply my readers can perceive it with your individual eyes (if I described it properly.)

Ought to I Select Common Anesthesia or Sedation?

Through the course of, you’ll be probe and also you would possibly surprise how uncomfortable, and even painful will that be.

One of many promoting level of going the personal route, in response to my colleague is that you’ll be administered with common anesthesia which can knock you out.

If you get up the process can be finished.

In distinction, you’ll nonetheless be awake however groggy underneath sedation. Sedation will scale back your ache and make you extra relaxed. You’ll be able to nonetheless reply if spoken to.

You’ll keep in mind little or nothing afterward.

My colleague instructed me of individuals’s expertise going to authorities hospital and having deep discomfort in the course of the course of. This was coloured by my late dad’s colonoscopy at SGH (which is identical hospital!).

Throughout some extent of his most cancers prognosis, they needed to carry out colonoscopy on him. My dad instructed me afterwards he was awake and the method was deeply uncomfortable.

My dad is a tough man, having being a contractor for many of his life and so he can take hardship. It actually shook me when he mentioned it was that discomforting.

Then once more, I’m wondering whether it is actually THAT dangerous and in that case, why would the hospital put folks by way of this?

Would we have now a selection on the authorities hospital of common anesthesia as an alternative?

I made up my thoughts that I’d request the physician to do common anesthesia.

Spoiler alert: After I was in session, I mistaken the concept of sedation as which means common anesthesia, so I didn’t really made the request.

An error on my half and so I went by way of the day surgical procedure underneath sedation.

What I perceive from a fellow Telegram group member is that if you happen to insist, the physician can administer common anesthesia.

Making My Colonoscopy Appointment

Previous to this, it’s good apply to verify if the doctor that you’d select is underneath the panel physician listing to your Defend plan insurer.

That is known as pre-authorization. (You’ll be able to learn extra about why the necessity for pre-authorization and letter-of-guarantee in this current article)

Since I’m going to a restructured authorities hospital, all medical doctors at authorities hospital are thought-about on panel which implies I don’t want to hunt pre-authorization with Singlife.

I determine to go to my Well being Hub to make an appointment with SGH.

A few days later I acquired this e mail:

Crap want a referral.

So I made a request to Dr Tang, our Providend resident concierge physician who knew earlier than this about my colonoscopy intention. He e mail me a referral inside the subsequent 10 minutes and I replied to this e mail.

On the eighth of August, I acquired this e mail:

The appointment was the subsequent enterprise day, which is Monday at 9:20 AM.

That was quick. Precisely as I hope as a result of will probably be bizarre if I am going the personal route and I’ve to attend for months for the appointment.

My Session with the Specialist.

I arrived for my appointment with the specialist physician at 9:20 AM.

Though it’s so early, I needed to wait till 9:50 earlier than I’m able to see the specialist physician. We mentioned my intention to do a proactive colonoscopy. The specialist clarify that previously few years, the career have seen higher incidence of youthful and youthful folks diagnose with colon most cancers.

Thus, he would strongly advocate folks as younger as 45-years outdated to do a colonoscopy. We then mentioned about any associated discomfort we have now prior to now.

The specialist say that his regular schedule to carry out day surgical procedure is on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday and would be capable to do it this two weeks. I verify my schedule and thought I’m able to do on any of these days. So he fastened an appoint on the Thursday which is three days later.

I used to be shocked how briskly we will do that prognosis. He mentioned it’s a good suggestion to get it over and finished with, which has similarities to my thought.

As talked about, completely forgot concerning the common anesthesia half.

However, I don’t suppose I’m the type that can’t endure discomfort. It might simply be how dangerous the discomfort will get. In any case, if the expertise is so dangerous, you guys would find out about it and my expertise would make your determination subsequent time simpler.

I needed to look ahead to the directions for my upcoming colonoscopy. This wait was rattling lengthy if you happen to account for the sort of session price that I pay, relative to a sponsored affected person. I principally didn’t see any premium in velocity of service right here. I waited most likely an hour a minimum of right here.

I used to be instructed just a few issues:

1. I’ve to go on a really particular weight loss program for the remainder of the Monday and the subsequent two days. You’ll be able to see the particular issues appropriate and never appropriate to eat later.
2. Somebody needed to accompany me. That is fairly massive for a single particular person. If there is no such thing as a one accompanying me, there can be NO sedation. I can not drive after my colonoscopy as properly. For individuals who have an interest, do verify if somebody can accompany you.
3. I would want to take two massive packets of laxatives that may clear the insides in order that they’ll see clearly.

I used to be additionally suggested relating to how a lot the day surgical procedure price will probably be:

Now you bought to ask me what’s the distinction between SF70C, SF704C, SF705C. I don’t know.

However if you happen to search up ChatGPT, they’ll give the next:

Code	Description / What Occurs Throughout Process
SF702C	Colon, Colonoscopy, fibreoptic with/with out biopsy. So diagnostic colonoscopy; could embody taking biopsy however no polyp elimination. (Ministry of Well being)
SF704C	Colon, Colonoscopy, fibreoptic with elimination of polyp (single or a number of lower than 1 cm). So that you do polypectomy, however the eliminated polyp(s) are smaller than 1 cm. (Ministry of Well being)
SF705C	Colon, Colonoscopy, fibreoptic with elimination of polyps (a number of greater than 1cm). So right here the polyps eliminated are bigger / a number of important polyps (over 1 cm) which tends to be extra concerned. (Ministry of Well being)

Key variations

• Whether or not or not polyp elimination (“polypectomy”) is completed. SF702C is diagnostic / biopsy solely; SF704C & SF705C are therapeutic in that they take away polyps.
• Measurement / variety of polyps eliminated:
  • SF704C: single or a number of polyps however every lower than 1 cm.
  • SF705C: a number of polyps greater than 1 cm (i.e. bigger / extra advanced).
• Price, complexity, threat: larger / extra polyps means extra process time, presumably extra devices, and presumably extra threat (bleeding, want for follow-up). So SF705C tends to be extra concerned than SF704C.
• Subsidies / claims: Due to the distinction in complexity, the charges billed, MediSave / MediShield eligibility and so forth., will differ. The code determines what claims will be made, how a lot subsidy, and so forth.

So what they may be saying is that if the prognosis is easy and there’s no polyp elimination, will probably be the primary charge, if not will probably be costlier. They need to all be lined by Medisave if there aren’t any removals.

This sounds reassuring that I’ll not need to provide you with any out-of-pocket cash and depend on my Medisave financial savings.

Spoiler: This isn’t the case and I’ll clarify extra later.

I’ll share extra of the specifics on the finish of this text.

What Did I Eat for the Subsequent Two and a Half Days

Since I meal prep my every day meals on that Monday, I can’t actually observe the directions that strictly. Fortunately I put together hen with oats. I can eat hen, however oat is a disallowed meals. I simply eat the entire thing.

For Tuesday and Wednesday listed below are my meals:

1. Tuesday afternoon: Pasta with salt and the Furikake left over from a shopper occasion weeks in the past.
2. Wednesday afternoon: Pasta with salt and the Furikake left over from a shopper occasion weeks in the past.

That’s it.

Initially I had the intention to only quick for 3 days however I made a decision to eat one thing. Since I’d typically eat solely a meal a day, this wasn’t that dangerous. I understand something with Furikake will style good (or that I gotten used to meals that others will discover relatively bland).

On the Precise Day of the Surgical procedure Itself.

Then it was Thursday morning.

By proper, I can have some gentle breakfast however since every thing was suppose to come back out, I’m wondering what’s the fxxking level for me to eat two slices of white bread.

I simply wait till 6:50 to have the primary packet of this:

I purchased two 1.5 litre of water and 1 bottle of Pocari Sweat. I’d simply dump one packet into every water bottle and drink them. The style was bearable however I don’t suppose anybody of you’d drink one thing that style like that when you have the selection.

I had like 2 hours earlier than I needed to take the prepare to Singapore Common Hospital.

Really, nothing a lot got here out besides a whole lot of the water. I simply go to the bathroom extra. It was not so dangerous for me actually. It felt like only a tad worse than a standard diarrhoea. The one pasta a day helped I suppose.

I managed to really feel higher (not an excessive amount of feeling of needing to go to the bathroom) by the point I needed to go away house. I’d meet my brother (who’s accompanying me) at our MRT station.

I took a 30 minutes prepare journey to Outram MRT from my place with my brother. We reached at about 11:30 AM. There’s sufficient time for us to take the hospital bus, which can take us to Block 3 of SGH.

The hospital bus will carry you round SGH so that you simply don’t need to stroll from the MRT station in however they’ve a hard and fast route, and Block 3 is on the final checkpoint of the route. The journey itself will take about 20-30 minutes by itself and if we arrive too late, we would missed our appointment however since we arrive at 11:30, we should always attain Block 3 on time and we efficiently reached the block by 12:00 pm.

How the Precise Colonoscopy Go?

I checked in however have to attend on the registration counter for a very long time. For some motive, you both wait on the registration otherwise you wait at one other level and this time I’ve to attend like 40-50 minutes earlier than i used to be processed. However then that find yourself nearer to the official appointment time of 1pm in my SMS Message.

The woman on the registration instantly can see that I used to be lined underneath a Singlife Defend plan. She inform me that she’s going to E-File this for me. I assumed I needed to do it myself however I misheard her and she’s going to try this for me. So the deduction will probably be with my Singlife Defend after which Medishield.

If I’ve cowl from my Firm Insurance coverage, I ought to inform my firm insurance coverage that I’ve a declare to make, however since I didn’t, I don’t need to do it later.

We’ll see how that Defend plan declare will end up later.

I used to be then instructed to vary my garments into the robes. I needed to take away each shxt together with underwear. They gave me a giant drawstring plastic bag to place all my barang barang. I needed to take this bag with me as a result of ultimately, I would want to vary my garments.

Then we wait.

10 minutes later (most likely 13:10 as a result of by now I don’t have my watch), I used to be known as to do some pre-checkup.

The senior nurse requested me a set of questions which largely is duplicated however I perceive it is a precaution in case they acquired the information mistaken.

Then she took my blood strain. She requested if my blood strain is generally this low (I feel it was 97.) which I mentioned not that I keep in mind. She took once more and it wasn’t any higher however that didn’t have an effect on the end result.

She assist me put a needle into my hand, which I presume is for the sedative later.

I seen my mother and pop have this for just a few instances and at all times questioned how painful it’s. Generally they gained’t let you know ache when they’re feeling it. That is the primary time it occur to me.

Seems it’s okay. At most you get like a pink ant chunk right here and there.

Now it’s 13:30 and its again to ready.

However 10 minutes later, my quantity was known as and it’s present time.

I walked into an working room with about 6-7 folks in there. I used to be instructed to lie down confronted up. Then was instructed to show to the left and shift to the best. Convey my legs to my stomach (as a result of it makes it simpler for my ass to be penetrated?).

The physician got here and supply the sedation. Earlier than lengthy the probing started.

Can I really feel something? Positive.

However was it discomforting? I’m not positive.

I described to my colleague Chin Yu later that we don’t neglect extraordinarily dangerous experiences and if it have been so dangerous, I’d have remembered it. After all I felt the probe and it occurred for some time. However it wasn’t as dangerous as a few of the different experiences.

I suppose I’d take into account mine to be okay. My COO Moon most likely additionally went by way of the identical expertise as me and it appears high quality along with her as properly. So that’s two okay expertise.

The following factor I keep in mind was being very disturbed by machines beeping… observe by folks speaking.

This was the picture that greeted me slowly after making sense of the place the fxxk I’m:

It took me some time to appreciate that this was one other part of the hospital. I used to be knocked out! I used to be within the resting part, the place they might give us 1 hour to recuperate from the sedation.

Nobody disturbed me and in my blurry state (with out my spectacles) I might see somebody utilizing their handphones. It took me some time to pry open the cable-tied again to get my telephone and message my brother I used to be resting.

Not earlier than lengthy the workers introduced me this snack.

We are able to typically decide the grade of care by the meals they offer after we recovered. That is what I get:

You’ll most likely get one thing higher when you have stayed in a non-public hospital for such a verify.

Not lengthy after, a workers got here and ask me to vary again to my garments. I assumed I used to be suppose to go to a altering room however seems I used to be capable of change there.

I used to be to attend within the ready space with my brother to attend for my report evaluation.

Since I solely ate a self prepare dinner pasta meal a day for 2 days, I assumed I ought to reward myself with 1 x Fish and Chips and 1 x Rooster Chop for dinner that night time:

The Fish and Chips price me $7.90 and the Rooster Chop $7.50. You’ll be able to see really the parts are usually not rather a lot. Maybe I ought to have caught with my western meals nearer to my house however I feel the French Fries are extra flavorful.

I feel it’s not advisable to have such a big meal after colonoscopy however after 2 spaghetti in 2 days I assumed what the heck.

How are My Outcomes

I used to be briefed my outcomes after resting and the drowsiness wore off.

A nurse offered the report and clarify to me:

Besides that there have been not a lot rationalization.

I used to be roughly instructed that I ought to be okay to discharged. I acquired a message that my subsequent appointment can be 10 November.

How come 3 months later?

I infer that if the appointment is so distant my outcomes ought to be okay.

That is the place I felt that it is a massive missing. If I’m attending this as a non-public route, it feels no totally different from my dad’s expertise as a sponsored affected person.

On the finish of the day, did I really feel assured that I’m okay?

I needed to infer not directly what was instructed to me. I suppose that is the half that I want they may have finished higher. Think about that I’ve to go Google every of the road objects and interpretate myself if all of this stuff are okay.

I feel you guys can learn this as… there is no such thing as a distinction between the personal and sponsored route.

How A lot did I Finish Up Paying in Whole

The associated fee breakdown:

1. The Session: $177.12 utilizing money
2. The Day Surgical procedure: $1960
   • Medisave: $1249
   • Money: $711

So that’s about $888 in money and $1249 in Medisave. $2,137 in full.

My Singlife defend and my rider Well being Plus did nothing to alleviate the associated fee.

I acquired the next evaluation per week later routinely:

In your hospitalization insurance coverage, it’s a must to pay a part of the associated fee. There’s a yearly deductible that it’s a must to hit and also you be assessed how a lot you may declare primarily based on the grade of your defend plan after that.

When you hit the yearly deductible, you gained’t pay one other deductible if you happen to go to once more as a result of the deductible is yearly.

If in case you have a rider that covers this deductible, then you might solely must copay 5%-10% of this and it’ll dramatically scale back your price.

My rider with Singlife is exclusive in that it covers the ten% co-insurance, or the hefty a part of the invoice if the entire price comes as much as $165,000 for a authorities hospital (which sadly a good friend just lately incur in his scenario). I made this determination 20 years in the past to prioritize masking for the numerous healthcare prices and pay myself for the prices that I’m able to pay by going with this personal tier defend and co-insurance solely rider possibility.

Which is what this finally ends up being.

Really, I can submit all these session charges (the $177 one) as pre-hospitalization and post-hospitalization to say however even when I submit them, they’ll nonetheless be decrease than the deductible.

I suppose you may select to pay recurring premiums for a rider to offset this.

The premiums for a 45-year-old that might scale back that is presently $1,539 yearly with no-claims low cost and $1.9k with out (that is for Singlife Well being Plus Prime for personal, which is what my base defend plan is on. If that is on the Restructured Authorities A ward tier the Prime will probably be $419 with no-claims low cost).

My colleague Jiamin, the lead for shopper servicing at Havend shared that if we’re clearer concerning the high quality of care that we want, I might have gone for a full rider that covers Restructured authorities A ward. The whole premiums can be: $743 for a 45-year outdated [Singlife Plan 2: $324 + Prime for Plan 2: $419].

Had I gone with this feature, the annual premiums are decrease, and my out-of-pocket prices could also be simply $110.

There’s worth in figuring out what you need, or the grade of care you could settle for.

What you may be struggling is to determine this half out.

After all, I used to be totally anticipating the prices to not be lined and ready to pay for it.

Listed here are the payments in full:

I acquired my invoice per week later.

I acquired an SMS informing me my SGH invoice is now obtainable and will be seen on HealthBuddy.

So right here is how the invoice seem like:

How Do I Really feel Concerning the Entire Expertise?

It has been one month since.

I used to be extraordinarily glad the outcomes turned out to be okay (I feel).

On the finish of the day, I simply wish to have readability if there are some deep seated issues and if there may be how I can enhance it.

And I feel I acquired that someway with a Colonoscopy as an alternative of different prognosis strategies that may be much less delicate and correct (which I did over the previous 5 years).

On the very least, I can transfer on and reside life for the subsequent few years (it’s suggested to do a colonoscopy each 10 years).

If that is what I sought, then I sort of get it and I genuinely suppose paying lots of or hundreds for it, is price it.

Was it price it to pay $2,100 for it?

I feel worth is within the eye of the beholder. I’d often ask you to replicate the worth one thing is to you, and attempt to pay low for it.

There’s a approach to go through the polyclinic and get subsidies for this. It will likely be cheaper however I can not present you the way a lot. For positive you don’t need to pay $177 in session price, and the prognosis will probably be sponsored.

When you occur to have a rider that covers far more, this is able to be cheaper for you.

When you ask me if subsequent week we do one other Colonoscopy will it freak me out, past the work schedule, the larger situation may be not consuming a lot for 3 days (personally what I selected) than whether or not its sedation, GA, or the probing.

The sedation would actually make you not keep in mind a lot about the entire course of 1 month later haha. I can perceive your concern of discomfort however 1 month in, I actually actually nearly forgot the way it felt like. (this is the reason I recorded some elements of this text down instantly after my western meals meal as a result of I feel I’d neglect).

Going the personal route with authorities does sped up the appointments, however to be trustworthy I feel if the physician is out there, you’d have a prognosis rapidly similar to mine. It will not be a privilege simply because Kyith didn’t pay a sponsored charge.

My good friend, from this submit yesterday, shared with me that just lately he needed to do key-hole surgical procedure to repair an extended standing arm/shoulder situation. He went the polyclinic route and the physician really proposed a really quick surgical procedure date.

I’ve a session schedule in November and if I do know extra, I’d make replace to this text.

As I’ve mentioned, I hope my transparency will assist set you thoughts when you have some reservations with some elements of doing colonoscopy. I feel if you happen to search some peace of thoughts, this would possibly allow you to plan it out.

Okay, the remainder of the article is about a few of the minor stuff.

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The Singlife Submitting Course of is A Bit Shit

All of us can submit a few of the pre and post-hospitalization claims to every of our insurer.

I determine to attempt my hand to see how straightforward is it to do it.

I might have requested my colleague Jiamin to do it for me at the price of just a few Shio Pans, however i wish to give it a attempt.

There was part of the system the place I needed to submit my doc. So I identify my doc as often with some date format like “2025.09.11”. Properly a few of these characters weren’t allowed. That’s okay. Kyith completely perceive this.

So I renamed the file and I attempted to add.

The system retains telling me I can solely add one doc. It is because for some fxxk motive they’ve saved the primary doc in storage someplace.

This isn’t a browser caching factor. We tried it on my colleague’s pc and it’s the identical factor.

Lengthy story brief, I acquired my colleague Jiamin to submit.

Generally I additionally surprise I submit for fxxk since I do know I’ll get zero greenback for it (it issues to scale back the deductible simply in case touchwood I must go the identical route with one other medical therapy on this 12 months).

However Singlife must do higher there.

Some Different Paperwork

This consent kind comprises details about colonoscopy:

This one explains sedation: