Ownership Financial

13/09/2026

We are getting better at adding Years to our lives, but we have been much less good at adding LIFE to those years.

I recently attended an incredibly insightful session organized by IFPAS alongside the Singapore Cancer Society and National Heart Centre Singapore, and it fundamentally shifted how I view longevity.

Over my 16 years in financial advisory and as a CPF volunteer, I’ve walked clients through 18 critical illness 🏥 claims.
Two of those were for my own parents-in-law.

I’ve seen firsthand that surviving an illness is only half the battle;
affording 💸 the recovery and maintaining your quality of life 🌅 is the true test.

Here are my biggest takeaways on bridging the gap between lifespan and healthspan:

📉 Aging Isn’t Gradual—It Drops Off a Cliff
➡️Our bodies undergo drastic biological shifts at ages 44 and 60.
➡️At 44, lipid processing falls and cholesterol can rise regardless of your diet.
➡️At 60, we face a second rapid physiological decline marked by immune, renal, and metabolic dysregulation.
➡️By age 90, the heart develops smaller, thicker walls and calcified valves compared to a larger, flexible 26-year-old heart.

⏳ Health’s "Compound Interest" & Early Intervention
➡️The speaker shared a brilliant parallel to what we always say in finance: "Time in the market is better than timing the market."
When it comes to cholesterol and early intervention, the exact same applies: Time on a statin is better than timing when to start.
➡️Cumulative exposure to bad cholesterol (LDL) is what drives arterial blockages. Treating LDL early (e.g., from age 40) halves the risk threshold and buys significantly more healthspan.
➡️A CT scan comparing two 65-year-olds proved this: the one who managed LDL with early intervention had zero calcium buildup, while the one who waited and relied solely on diet faced severe coronary calcification.

🎯 The Golden Milestone at Age 50
➡️If you reach 50 with blood pressure

01/04/2026

🚨 “Insurance used to be a small problem taking care of a big problem…
Today, it’s becoming a BIG problem taking care of an even BIGGER problem.”

That was one of the most striking takeaways from Ong Ye Kung during the recent IFPAS AGM.

After sitting through nearly 90 minutes of candid dialogue, one thing is clear:

👉 Singapore’s healthcare system is entering a critical reset phase.

⸻

💡 What’s really happening?

• Health insurance is becoming unsustainable — especially riders
• Premiums are rising sharply (some doubling within a decade)
• Claims behaviour is changing — when “someone else pays,” consumption increases
• Insurers are barely breaking even (or losing money)
• Public hospitals are ~95% full, while private hospitals remain underutilised

And perhaps the most honest line of the day:

👉 “The part that is really not sustainable… is the rider.”

⸻

💭 The uncomfortable truth many clients don’t realise:

We’ve been sold the idea of 100% peace of mind.

But as the Minister said:

👉 “Total peace of mind is very expensive.”

In reality:
✔ 80–90% coverage is often financially sustainable
❌ 100% coverage may quietly become financially dangerous

⸻

⚠️ This is where many people get it wrong:

Insurance is NOT meant to pay for everything.
It is meant to protect you from what you cannot afford.

Not:
• Small bills
• Convenience upgrades
• Over-consumption

But:
• ICU stays
• Major surgeries
• Catastrophic events

⸻

🤝 Why professional advice matters more than ever

Another key point raised:

👉 Financial advisors are NOT the cost drivers
(Commissions ~0–5%, sometimes negligible)

Instead:

✔ We help clients right-size coverage
✔ Balance premium vs sustainability
✔ Navigate MediShield Life, Medisave, IP & riders
✔ Avoid overpaying for “peace of mind” they don’t need

Because the real risk today is not under-insuring…

👉 It is overpaying for the wrong structure.

⸻

📊 My takeaway after 15 years in this profession:

The conversation is shifting from:
➡️ “How much coverage can I get?”

To:
➡️ “What is sustainable for me long-term?”

⸻

💬 If you currently have:
• An Integrated Shield Plan
• A rider (especially older ones)
• Or rising premiums you don’t fully understand

It may be time for a serious review.

⸻

📩 I’m happy to walk through your structure with you —
No jargon. No pressure. Just clarity.

Because in today’s environment:

👉 Good advice is no longer optional. It’s essential.

⸻

01/04/2026

Today is April Fool’s day.
But the topic of health insurance is neither funny nor trickery.

IP riders sold from Apr 1 are no longer allowed to cover the minimum IP deductibles, which range from S$1,500 to S$3,500 per policy year and vary by ward class.

26/11/2025

I have spoken about these for many years.

Predicting either an increase in co-pay percentage from 5% to 10% (Income Shield used to implement 10%).
Or
An increase in the annual cap from $3000 to $5000.
CPF eventually increases to $6000.
(I am almost exactly right.)

As Ong Ye Kung said: “羊毛长在羊身上”.
We need to pay eventually.

As a father (with four children and two ageing parents).
My best advice is to decide WHEN to pay, and WHAT to pay.

I either:
1) Pay now to the insurer, with less payment to healthcare providers in the future.
In exchange for more liberty in healthcare decision-making during a health crisis.
Or
2) Pay later to healthcare providers, and save some cash now.
With heavy consideration of future healthcare options.

Meanwhile, if you are seeking people with experience on healthcare and insurance.
Speak to people that had prior healthcare episodes with bill payments.

Otherwise, you will only get preferred opinions. Everyone prefer to stay healthy, not ward C.

As part of efforts to rein in rising healthcare costs, new riders will no longer cover minimum deductibles and must set a higher minimum co-payment cap of S$6,000 a year.

30/10/2025

Healthcare Insurance 101: Pt 01

30/10/2025

Healthcare Insurance 101: Pt 02

30/10/2025

Healthcare Insurance 101: Pt 03

30/10/2025

Healthcare Insurance 101: Pt 04

24/10/2025

This article struck my heart.

• I saw this first hand almost 25 years ago when my Air Force buddy had a three-month premature child.

• And almost ten years ago, I would accompany my mum almost monthly to Batu Pahat, visiting my uncle who was taking care of my ageing grandmother for a long five years, while juggling three jobs and raising four kids.

• A few of my clients/friends needed unpaid leave to take care of their spouse with a critical illness and their children.

• Additionally, do you agree that we are surrounded by more families who have children with societal challenges?
Kudos to Extra•Ordinary People for good works!

Facts:

1) In just one or two generations, the ratio of parents to children has flipped tremendously.

2) Ironically, good medical infrastructure has prolonged longevity, which in turn lengthens the cost of long-term care.

3) Society culture towards filial piety has westernised into individualism, or if I may find some better words, “senior independence”: that is, IF the senior has the resources to manage on their own.

Solving this generational problem will require both macro- and micro-level policies from the incumbent and private sectors, as well as individual decisions.

I often share this with my clients:

One of the reasons I chose my current profession and business model was to accommodate my ageing parents and in-laws, and to be there for them without adding liabilities for my younger generation.

What are your concerns?
Care to share?

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More working adults are taking on the responsibilities of caring for their dependent family members. Despite strides made in recent years to alleviate their burdens, they say that more can be done to offer much-needed relief.

17/10/2025

For the consumer, it seems good news.
The government becomes the bad guy in setting the fee standards.

For professionals, especially those with expertise, there is a reason to relocate to another country now.

The government now need to do a delicate balancing act, not to create a talent drain, because once these experts go, they are gone!

And when that happens, even if the government imposes a 20% GST to cover all medical expenses, there will be fewer expert medical providers in Singapore.

A client of mine’s heart valve operation almost required a trip to Kuala Lumpur for the procedure, which would have involved paying in Ringgit, all in cash!

Be cautious of what we ask for, because sometimes the democratic voice can be a source of ignorant noise.

"It may take a couple of years, but it's something we want to do," the Health Minister said.