Letter of the day Insurance agents asking doctors to change codes to ensure claims go through

I am a breast surgeon in private practice for six years. Even with my involvement in the Singapore Medical Association council and the Multilateral Healthcare Insurance Committee, I find myself bewildered and confused by the state of health insurance coverage, with its many terms and exclusions, and ever-changing rules.

- Tan Yia Swam (Dr)

Breast cancer is the most common cancer affecting women worldwide. The research into breast cancer care has developed tremendously and we can now provide personalised, targeted treatments in a multidisciplinary setting.

There is one situation now where surgeons are left helpless because while we want to provide the best care for patients, insurance coverage has not been consistent. This situation arises when a young patient with breast cancer is advised to go for gene testing, and a pathogenic gene mutation is found (the most well known being the BRCA gene).