NTUC Income has always been known for many years to be slow in processing medical claims. The article angles the problem in such a way that it seems like this problem has only been existent lately.
"The delay in handling claims on our side is partly due to the fact that we are introducing a new computer system and that is not up and running yet. (Secondly), it's due to the integration of claims handling with the Health Ministry. By October, we expect to be able to process our claims within 7 days, when the system is up to speed," said Stanley Jeremiah, GM (Life) at NTUC Income.
I think a new computer system should not have to take years for an organisation to accomodate. This is not a valid answer, unless we are talking about a recent spike in inefficiency. The main problem then should be, as claimed, the problem of integration of claims with the Health Ministry, which obviously makes things more troublesome, less straightforward. If you are affiliated to the government, of course you will have more problems: government agencies are inefficient, that is well-known and true.
But that is no excuse either. When talking about medical claims, the key is not about the Letter of Guarantee that NTUC boasts of giving, it is about service. And in this case, service to people who are in distress. When you are in the midst of dealing with ill health, perhaps on the brink of dying, or dealing with it as a family for a loved one, the last thing you would be capacitated to handle, is unnecessary stress coming from incompetent insurers. If the service was good, letter or no, then why are there still so many people out there complaining about NTUC being a shit-load of claims-inefficiency, and so many regrets having bought from them in the first place?
The effect of regrets is another layer of stress: cognitive dissonance, they say. Some of my ex-clients have told me, that they thought the government agency should be the most reliable. Of course now they know they have been naive, but that does not help the feeling that they have put money into a policy which gives you shit, when there are better insurers out there.
The way NTUC has expressed themselves, seems to tell me that as long as I have props to give some semblance of efficiency, this means service. But that is bullshit. Service is about people. It is about finding a need and meeting it. It is about being passionate about people. I would never dare offer myself to be served by a cold organisation that talks about props and compares their props with other companies, my toys are bigger than yours. It is like having the doctor with the better certs but with terrible bedside manners.
Well now you know, my humble regrets if you are under NTUC Income. Prove me otherwise if you have experienced contrary, remarkable service, because I haven't yet heard any accounts of that. And if you haven't yet found someone to pay your medical bills, then you should, and caveat emptor.
Insurance is a tricky matter and no one insurer has all the best policies under one roof. My medical insurance is offered by Manulife (unfortunately not one of the top three in processing claims). But it is the only medical insurance policy that pays all your medical bills, not just a portion (co-insurance and deductible). That is a big deal to me; I probably will not be able to afford even a portion of a serious medical expense. Plus I have worldwide emergency evacuation, which is important for me, since I might be in the mountains or jungles of Thailand or some Asian country. So different people have different needs, this is mine and I have chosen Manucare.
Back to the CNA article: I think that the article is more a publicity stunt pulled on behalf of NTUC and it is a disappointment to see CNA doing this, the press is so slight and dense and I thought switching from Straits Times to CNA years ago would give me more balanced opinions and factual news, but no. Talk about validity. I feel like I am entering a Truman's world.
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