Hey guys I'll be enlisting this coming May into Civil Defence.
Two months ago I injured my knee. Till now, it hasnt fully recovered. Went a polyclinic last week to have an X-Ray done. Nothing was wrong with my bones so I was referred to NUH for an MRI. I am not sure of the cost of MRI. I was wondering if I should wait until I get enlisted and then go for the MRI. I heard you can get the fees subsidised or even get it done for free.
If I were to go for the MRI on my own, before enlisting, I will have to pay the full sum myself. Furthermore, they'll probably ask me to go for surgery to repair my knee. Correct me if I'm wrong but there's no point in going for the MRI and not following it up with the required surgery. All this with recovery time will take a few months. I am considering to do this as I would like to prepare for NS physically.
Would it be a better choice for me to enlist first and get the MRI and the surgery done while I'm in NS?
If I were to get it done before and during enlistment, how differently would it affect my PES?
*I probably torn a muscle
An MRI costs is in the low hundreds. It is good to get the SCDF to pay this sum, but more important to be physically downgraded BEFORE enlistment. If you damage your knee because you were not downgraded, bo hua.
Do the MRI, get a memo recommending a downgrade, enlist as PES C or E, do surgery and govt pays the cost, enjoy MC while you rest at hospital or at home.
If you go for surgery in BMT, you will be missing the majority of BMT, counted as BMT fail and classified as re-course BMT pending new intake and pending your recovery. It will increase your chances of being posted to a service or clerical vocation. Sometimes even when a new BMT intake is available, your clerical unit will hold on to you (because short of manpower) and you will not have to go for BMT for your whole length of service.
If you go the other way (enlist as PES B then ask for medical excuse), the term of excuse is temporary eg 2 weeks. Beyond that you will have to participate in all activities and risk injuring your knee further.
Thanks a lot for your input.
If I do my MRI and have my PES downgraded, and do surgery. Wouldnt I have to pay all the cost and not the goverment?
If i fail my BMT and have to take when new BMT is available, is that very bad? If i don have to go for BMT for whole length of service, it means I'll only do paperwork?
What if I enlist as PES A and do my MRI and surgery when I'm in NS?
Sorry for all the questions. I need to consider all the options.
Thanks again.
Thanks a lot for your input.
If I do my MRI and have my PES downgraded, and do surgery. Wouldnt I have to pay all the cost and not the goverment?
All medical examination and treatment is payable by government, if you are referred by your camp Medical Officer. So before enlistment, you visit a civilian specialist and he will refer you for MRI. He will perform a medical report on your condition (included in the cost of the MRI), plus write a recommendation for surgery and downgrade. If he does not give recommendation for downgrade, you can still show the medical report to CMPB and they will downgrade you.
After you enlist, you inform your MO that you are going for surgery. He will refer you to the hospital and the govt will pay.
If i fail my BMT and have to take when new BMT is available, is that very bad? If i don have to go for BMT for whole length of service, it means I'll only do paperwork?
No, it is not bad. In theory you must go for the next available BMT intake. In the mean time, you will be assigned to a service vocation. You will still be promoted to PTE, LCP and CPL even if you don't go for BMT. In practice, maybe your unit will refuse to send you for BMT and recommend you attend the next BMT instead. Maybe by that time, you only have one year left and it is not worth sending you to 3 month BMT to serve only 9 months in another vocation. Then you will never attend BMT and will perform paper work for whole length of service.
What if I enlist as PES A and do my MRI and surgery when I'm in NS?
Like I said, you will risk injury to your knee during training.
Sorry for all the questions. I need to consider all the options.
Thanks again.
I already have been referred to NUH for an MRI by a polyclinic. If I understood you correctly, I will go for this MRI and pay for it. Then when I enlist, I will show it to my MO and then they will cover both the MRI and surgery.
"All medical examination and treatment is payable by government, if you are referred by your camp Medical Officer. So before enlistment, you visit a civilian specialist and he will refer you for MRI. He will perform a medical report on your condition (included in the cost of the MRI), plus write a recommendation for surgery and downgrade. If he does not give recommendation for downgrade, you can still show the medical report to CMPB and they will downgrade you.
After you enlist, you inform your MO that you are going for surgery. He will refer you to the hospital and the govt will pay."
Do you think this is the best solution? I think I'm going with this or having both MRI and surgery in NS. Since either way I'll risk injuring my knee.
Really appreciate it man.
You're welcome dude.
The thing is medical expenses are payable by the govt only during the term of service. You can't claim for the MRI you pay for before enlistment.
You have to be referred by the MO for treatment to be free. The specialist or surgeon bills the govt directly and you don't have to pay out of pocket. If you seek treatment on your own, you can only be reimbursed a greatly reduced amount or none at all.
Be sure to keep copies of the medical report (the specialist's interpretation of your MRI data and recommendations) for giving to MOs as necessary and for future reference. And be sure to inform the specialist you're enlisting so he can make recommendations for downgrade.
In that case I guess I'll do both MRI and surgery in NS. :)