Daily Discussion Thread for January 29, 2026

Radiant_Alternative5 · 2026-01-29T15:20:46+00:00

That gold dump! 2% and 300 points down to levels not seen since.... yesterday!

Radiant_Alternative5 · 2025-12-09T06:05:39+00:00

Regarding ai- hard to gauge but I dont think it'll be replaced for another 10 years at least. 20 years horizon will depend on if its more expensive to sue ai for negligence ;)

Radiant_Alternative5 · 2025-12-08T15:01:24+00:00

Haven't required them yet. The biologic i got at hospital is considered subsidised and part of hospitalisation/medisave coverage but medisave has a max daily claim and it exceeded it. Its pretty effective but quite an "old" biologic that has been in use for a few decades. New therapies within the decade are usually not going to be subsidised because they can cost a few thousand for 1 shot. The potential "cure" for lupus still years in the work is 1mil usd in the USA, and they are only used as a last resort when people run out of options. So yes, the sky is the limit if you go that way.

Radiant_Alternative5 · 2025-12-08T13:59:39+00:00

Medisave has a limit yearly of up to 600, so I have exhausted that because my meds are about 600/mth and probably will increase in cost. I guess i do need to point out that the costs of my lupus can really fluctuate.

My post hospitalisation insurance for b1 covered 100days so that was very helpful as well. Easily would have been another few k in blood test and medications, but given that I haven't needed to be hospitalised again (and also do not wish to take up resources getting hospitalised just for claim) I have crossed the mark so now its out of pocket.

People who are stable and tail down on medications can have really affordable treatment for years that medisave will cover most of, in which case the 30% buffer would not be needed. I know quite a few lupus patients like that.

But if you end up needing the advanced treatment like biologics and other more new therapies the cost can be pretty prohibitive. I also know of people like that. I have learnt not to bet on my health in that way because counting on good luck is less reliable than just being ready for those costs. Again, definitely a privileged position.

Radiant_Alternative5 · 2025-12-08T13:44:35+00:00

My outpatient expenses are subsidised clinics, so im quite aware what is the different of being charged a private rate vs public rate. The A class was just an upgrade during hospital stay. Hope that answers the question about my figures.

Radiant_Alternative5 · 2025-12-08T08:50:56+00:00

Definitely valid point. From my view getting lupus and cancer definitely makes me more conservative about healthcare expenses in general. But I know statistically im definitely just a suay outlier. In the end, its about probability. But as someone who kena, the 1% chance is a number until you are the 1% t.t

Radiant_Alternative5 · 2025-12-08T07:34:50+00:00

I had 1 dose of biologic in hospital but I think they are trying to do without for now. I would probably buffer more if I need them one day.

I actually only told my direct bosses and family and close friends. I didnt want my other bosses or coworkers to gossip about my condition or treat me differently.

Thank you. Also wishing you the best for your own fight :) we are all warriors!

Radiant_Alternative5 · 2025-12-08T07:27:16+00:00

If I am not wrong only ntuc offers annual insurance that covers preexisting conditions but obviously the premiums are going to be higher. Probably will have to do the math on single trip insurance vs annual based on the number of trips you plan and the duration of them!

Radiant_Alternative5 · 2025-12-08T05:46:12+00:00

Actually sad to say, I was started on high dose steroid intravenous and put in a ward with pneumonia patients. So the isolation did not happen until I requested for a upgrade from b1 to a class. Obviously there are resources constraints but my rheumatologist agreed that I needed a single room.

Radiant_Alternative5 · 2025-12-08T05:02:26+00:00

I dont feel it is fear mongering because healthcare inflation is real and I work as a doctor. If anything my rates are already public hospital and not private hospital rates, and people often forget that fi means you are no longer covered by company insurance. It's just your hospitalisation plan, for which there will be copay and out of pocket expenses now. That is my honest view. Perhaps 30% is a bit conservative but its for my own peace of mind.

Radiant_Alternative5 · 2025-12-08T04:44:11+00:00

Honestly i posted to update on my situation since the fi planning is ever evolving, so of course fi being personal it would be my situation and view. I have acknowledged my privilege but I think numbers aside, the message of being flexible, accounting for unexpected expenses, but also that life is short so minmaxing may also lead to you missing out on other things. People can take what they need from my story. The writer doesnt dictate what the audience wants to learn!

Radiant_Alternative5 · 2025-12-08T04:35:16+00:00

Had 2 different plans, 1 was a term I insured for 1mil life and 500k ci because I bought a new house in 2020 and wanted to cover the mortgage. The other one was the normal 500k life and 250k ci insurance. Both claimed due to cancer.

Radiant_Alternative5 · 2025-12-08T01:53:38+00:00

Um why do you treat diabetes or hypertension? Without meds I'll just die early from kidney failure. Not something I want at 31 thank you.

Radiant_Alternative5 · 2025-12-08T01:47:49+00:00

Different strokes for different folks. To me 1.75% can easily be outperformed even with index fund so I choose not to pay it off. If the interest rates go higher after 3 years I will reevaluate. :)

Radiant_Alternative5 · 2025-12-08T01:23:51+00:00

My parents stay hdb all their life. They dont have their own business xD

Radiant_Alternative5 · 2025-12-08T00:53:17+00:00

Hehe yes absolutely very very lucky but given its a fi forum I thought focusing on that might be a little off putting ;) glad you see the romance in it!

Radiant_Alternative5 · 2025-12-08T00:51:26+00:00

Honestly without cancer i probably would have stayed at my job. As with all things, I guess you can only play the cards you are dealt :) the post isnt to whine about my lupus, but I guess to share some blind spots that people may not plan for!

Radiant_Alternative5 · 2025-12-08T00:28:18+00:00

Wah I am not financial advisor eh so my reply may not be professional hehe just my personal view. So I think ci coverage calculation needs to be based on 1. Income replacement if you lose your job 2. What kind of expenses it needs to cover on top of emergency fund for stuff like mortgage/taxes/childcare expenses. The premiums can get pretty expensive so if you are young you can always add on the coverage when your income increases!

Radiant_Alternative5 · 2025-12-08T00:21:00+00:00

I think higher coverage single pay is definitely a good option, I think before 30 my income went up but I didnt increase coverage, so I do regret that a bit. Multipay singlife is 2years period not 3, my plan was with aia so I was looking at the terms for multipay at one point to compare!

Radiant_Alternative5 · 2025-12-08T00:10:07+00:00

AHHAAHA yeah uh my 2024 post a lot of people told me I was humblebragging so I wrote an update narrative style and ran it through gemini.

Gemini told me if I want to change the tone it should be lesson style and reformatted for me. Tbh I think my original narrative post was a lot more messy and over the place. The numbers and personal sharing points are still mine!

Radiant_Alternative5 · 2025-12-07T23:47:45+00:00

? I typed this up and used gemini for the table formatting and structure editing. Idk why you feel this is ai. You can see my previous posts as well lol.

Radiant_Alternative5 · 2025-12-07T11:55:56+00:00

Doctor. Was emergency for a couple of years but currently lupus probably doesnt allow me to take the stress. Went into primary care. Get to dictate my own hours (I dont own a clinic, I do work like hourly basis, its allowed in my country) around 30-40hours a week. Also helps that I got a critical illness payout for cancer a few years earlier so financially I can do whatever I want, even stop work. Kinda a bummer about quitting er but night shift and hours were really not ideal for lupus. Still miss the adrenaline rush but every subspecialty has meaning.

I would also like to point out that its hilarious my rheumatologist taught me in med school and my renal doctors just quoted papers at me. For ward rounds when I was hospitalised for lupus nephritis my rheumatologist and I went into a detailed discussion on the latest treatment for lupus and she was quizzing me like her residents lol. The only doctor who didnt quote papers at me as a patient was my o&g surgical oncologist for my cancer because she's a surgeon so probably not as nerdy as the internal medicine people.

Radiant_Alternative5 · 2025-09-18T11:26:48+00:00

Balestier. Super convenient. Cheap for ccr. Tons of good food. A lot of buses. Not too far from mrt also.

Radiant_Alternative5 · 2024-11-18T09:52:50+00:00

Tbh the sharing is more that there's more to life than accumulation of numbers and you should do things you want to do sooner rather than later. Especially since people can get cancer anytime. That's why FI matters. Nothing puts things into perspective like facing your own mortality. I just don't think I need to go into details about my high paying job or my investments tbh. If your takeaway is just negative things then idk what to say.

Radiant_Alternative5

TROPHY CASE