I Call this, "Baby-Steps" Policies
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..... which will likewise in return produce results in "Baby-Steps" as well.
Oh yeah... keep up the "good work" PAP...
Baby Bonus savings can cover medical expenses from May 1
By Julia Ng, Channel NewsAsia | Posted: 10 February 2007 2015 hrs
From 1st May, parents will be able to use their Baby Bonus savings to pay for their children's medical bills.
Minister for Community Development, Youth and Sports Dr Vivian Balakrishnan said the extension is aimed at lightening the financial load on parents.
And hopefully, encourage Singapore couples to have more children.
Raising two-year old Joel has been an expensive affair for his father Eugene Seah.
Joel was hospitalised twice, and that used up $12,000 of the couple's savings.
So parents like Eugene welcome news that Baby Bonus money could soon be used to pay for their children's medical expenses.
He said: "I think cost is a major concern for a lot of parents in Singapore. Our child before the age of 2 was already hospitalised two times. So on hindsight it would have helped a lot!"
Jelene Lee, Expectant Mother, says: "I think it's very good because right now it's only for use in schools."
From May 1st, the Baby Bonus will be expanded to cover all medical fees from hospitalisation, to children's immunisation, outpatient consultation, medicine costs, and even dental treatment.
And there's no limit on the amount that can be deducted from the Baby Bonus account for medical-related expenses.
Dr Balakrishnan said: "The key principle is that we want to help reduce the burden on parents. So that they'll be able to enjoy their children. And if they so wish, to even have more children!"
All hospitals, polyclinics, dental clinics and private clinics are now invited to register with the Ministry as Approved Institutions.
All they have to do is set up a GIRO facility so that parents can pay for their children's medical treatment and fees from the Baby Bonus account.
The Baby Bonus was first set up in 2001 to help parents defray the costs of raising children.
The first and second child each receives a $3,000 cash gift from the Government while the third and fourth child each gets a cash gift of $6,000.
On top of the cash gift, the second to the fourth child also gets receives a co-savings matching contribution in a special savings account called the Children Development Account (CDA) - more commonly known as the Baby Bonus.
The Government matches dollar-for-dollar the amount of savings in CDA - up to a cap of $6,000 for a second child, and $12,000 each for a third or fourth child.
Currently, parents can use the Baby Bonus money to pay for fees at approved institutions such as child care centres, kindergartens, and special education schools.
They could also Baby Bonus to buy medical insurance under the MediShield or Medisave-approved private integrated plans.
But this is as far as the extension will go.
Dr Balakrishnan said the Baby Bonus will not be extended for use on kids beyond 6 years old, nor to single mothers.
And it will also not be topped up at next week's Budget.
Critics of the Baby Bonus scheme have pointed out that it has not managed to reverse Singapore's record-low Total Fertility Rate, or TFR.
Dr Balakrishnan said: "Well at least the TFR has not fallen any further! It's still at 1.25. Money is not going to solve the problem of lower fertility."
And he hopes a more pro-family, child-friendly society will encourage couples to have more babies. - CNA/ch -
Here's one consideration of one of the many factors that's contributing to TFR:
>> Locals are competing with Foreigners who put in long hours daily for lower salaries.
Can you all come up with MORE factors?
I'm sure there are aplenty...
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yet another "HELP" form the gahmen
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Originally posted by ShutterBug:
So people... now go forth and multiply!!
..... which will likewise in return produce results in "Baby-Steps" as well.
Oh yeah... keep up the "good work" PAP...
[b]Baby Bonus savings can cover medical expenses from May 1
By Julia Ng, Channel NewsAsia | Posted: 10 February 2007 2015 hrs
From 1st May, parents will be able to use their Baby Bonus savings to pay for their children's medical bills.
Minister for Community Development, Youth and Sports Dr Vivian Balakrishnan said the extension is aimed at lightening the financial load on parents.
And hopefully, encourage Singapore couples to have more children.
Raising two-year old Joel has been an expensive affair for his father Eugene Seah.
Joel was hospitalised twice, and that used up $12,000 of the couple's savings.
So parents like Eugene welcome news that Baby Bonus money could soon be used to pay for their children's medical expenses.
He said: "I think cost is a major concern for a lot of parents in Singapore. Our child before the age of 2 was already hospitalised two times. So on hindsight it would have helped a lot!"
Jelene Lee, Expectant Mother, says: "I think it's very good because right now it's only for use in schools."
From May 1st, the Baby Bonus will be expanded to cover all medical fees from hospitalisation, to children's immunisation, outpatient consultation, medicine costs, and even dental treatment.
And there's no limit on the amount that can be deducted from the Baby Bonus account for medical-related expenses.
Dr Balakrishnan said: "The key principle is that we want to help reduce the burden on parents. So that they'll be able to enjoy their children. And if they so wish, to even have more children!"
All hospitals, polyclinics, dental clinics and private clinics are now invited to register with the Ministry as Approved Institutions.
All they have to do is set up a GIRO facility so that parents can pay for their children's medical treatment and fees from the Baby Bonus account.
The Baby Bonus was first set up in 2001 to help parents defray the costs of raising children.
The first and second child each receives a $3,000 cash gift from the Government while the third and fourth child each gets a cash gift of $6,000.
On top of the cash gift, the second to the fourth child also gets receives a co-savings matching contribution in a special savings account called the Children Development Account (CDA) - more commonly known as the Baby Bonus.
The Government matches dollar-for-dollar the amount of savings in CDA - up to a cap of $6,000 for a second child, and $12,000 each for a third or fourth child.
Currently, parents can use the Baby Bonus money to pay for fees at approved institutions such as child care centres, kindergartens, and special education schools.
They could also Baby Bonus to buy medical insurance under the MediShield or Medisave-approved private integrated plans.
But this is as far as the extension will go.
Dr Balakrishnan said the Baby Bonus will not be extended for use on kids beyond 6 years old, nor to single mothers.
And it will also not be topped up at next week's Budget.
Critics of the Baby Bonus scheme have pointed out that it has not managed to reverse Singapore's record-low Total Fertility Rate, or TFR.
Dr Balakrishnan said: "Well at least the TFR has not fallen any further! It's still at 1.25. Money is not going to solve the problem of lower fertility."
And he hopes a more pro-family, child-friendly society will encourage couples to have more babies. - CNA/ch
[/b]
Cheers -
Originally posted by Yunhaier:So people... now go forth and multiply!!
Cheers
3k is not even enough to pay the medical bills of the mum to give birth to her 1st child -
Gov thinks giving birth to babies & bringing the child up is as easy as singing a song...
...they are really out of touch with the people, or they don't know how bad their system is... -
If you are paid million dollar salaries, yes, giving birth and bringing up kids is as easy as ABC.Originally posted by ShutterBug:Gov thinks giving birth to babies & bringing the child up is as easy as singing a song...
...they are really out of touch with the people, or they don't know how bad their system is...
It might even be fun.
Really. -
You're absolutely right, Chuck..Originally posted by charlize:If you are paid million dollar salaries, yes, giving birth and bringing up kids is as easy as ABC.
It might even be fun.
Really. -
They play the devil, they also act the angel -
This policy is aimed at encouraging Sporean mother to give more birth.
Many Sporean had left for other countries brininging along their children.
I think for Sporean should learn from Korean, give birth in Canada cause their children will be given Canadian citizenship. -
Ministers who are currently single, not married, and have no children of their own should not be entitled to come up with such policies.
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About 18 yrs ago,we hve this 3rd child,SG gives us S$21,000 tax rebate.
Can anyone here tell me is it no more oreli???? -
The idea of encouraging Sporean to have more children is not going to work.
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Of course, naturally, the ministry will say that they found the cause of dismissal were performance and conduct based... but it it TRULY?
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71 complaints from pregnant women of unfair dismissal in 2006By Margaret Perry, Channel NewsAsia | Posted: 13 February 2007 1806 hrs
SINGAPORE: 71 pregnant women complained to the Ministry of Manpower last year about losing their jobs.
In a written reply to Parliament, Manpower Minister Ng Eng Hen said 36 of these cases have been concluded, 20 were withdrawn by the employees and the rest are pending investigation.
The Manpower Ministry investigated the concluded cases.
33 of the pregnant women received payment from their employers, including six who were retrenched.
But the ministry found that poor performance and misconduct were the grounds for dismissal in the other three cases.
Under the Employment Act, it is an offence to dismiss or terminate the employment of an employee during her maternity leave.
Dismissal on the grounds of pregnancy is also considered unfair dismissal under the Employment Act. - CNA/so -
I thought its already been admitted that money policies to encourage births don't work? They don't have a clue but insist on throwing money at couples.. wtf