RECENTLY, my wife was hospitalised at Mount Alvernia Hospital for four days. Her medical bill came up to $7,995.15.

She is insured under Income's IncomeShield Plan MA, but the total payout by Income was a shocking $240.

I called Income to find out how it arrived at that sum and was told that technically the $7,995.15 was classified as "room and board", hence limiting the claim.

The $7,995.15 included a renal screen, bed charges, clinical consumables and supply, diagnostic imaging services, equipment use, laboratory services, outside hospital services, pharmacy cost, resident medical officer fees, treatment fee and doctor attendance fee.

Given a deductible of $4,000 per policy year and 10 per cent co-insurance, any man in the street would expect an insurance payout of $3,595.63. But this is not the case.

My wife has faithfully paid her premium for the past 15 years without a single claim and this is what she gets in return. I am writing this so the public is made aware of such pitfalls in their medical insurance.

For big insurance companies to cite a technicality as an excuse not to make a decent payout is in no way fair. I urge the Consumers Association of Singapore and leaders in the insurance industry to look into this loose definition of "room and board".

In my opinion, given my wife's good record, Income should honour the $3,595.63 payout as a goodwill gesture.

Lastly, I would like to ask the Central Provident Fund Board why only $450 a day can be used from Medisave for hospitalisation.

Ong Kok Lam

This article was first published in The Straits Times.