Efforts to Ensure Migrant Workers without Letter of Guarantee from Employers Can Access Medical Treatment
Ministry of ManpowerSpeakers
Summary
This question concerns efforts to ensure migrant workers access medical treatment when employers delay or refuse a Letter of Guarantee (LOG). Minister for Manpower Dr Tan See Leng noted that hospitals provide emergency care without an LOG, while workers can seek Ministry assistance for non-emergency delays. The Ministry is currently reviewing medical insurance coverage and streamlining billing to facilitate treatment and help employers manage costs. Additionally, the new Primary Care Plan provides accessible care through regional medical centres and 24/7 telemedicine for non-surgical cases. These initiatives ensure migrant workers receive timely acute and chronic medical care while maintaining employer responsibility for healthcare expenses.
Transcript
6 Mr Louis Ng Kok Kwang asked the Minister for Manpower whether an update can be provided on the Ministry’s efforts to work with hospitals to ensure that migrant workers whose employers refuse to provide a letter of guarantee (LOG) or is unable to provide an LOG in a timely manner can access medical treatment.
Dr Tan See Leng: Employers are responsible to pay for the medical expenses of their migrant workers incurred in Singapore. This is to ensure that migrant workers receive the necessary medical care when they are in Singapore.
In cases involving medical emergencies, hospitals will provide prompt medical treatment without the need for a letter of guarantee (LOG) from the employer. Workers are provided such treatment, regardless of their employer’s ability to pay.
As for non-emergency cases, hospitals may ask for LOGs before treatment, to be assured that employers are aware of their worker’s medical condition and are able to pay for the bill. Workers may approach MOM for assistance to speak to their employers if their employers refuse to provide an LOG, resulting in them not being able to receive the necessary medical treatment. MOM has also been reviewing the coverage of the medical insurance, including streamlining the billing arrangements, to better facilitate treatment for migrant workers and migrant domestic workers and better help employers manage the medical bills of these workers. We will provide an update on the review soon.
For cases that do not require day surgeries or inpatient care, instead of visiting the hospital, migrant workers can access primary care services at regional medical centres or through 24/7 telemedicine consultations. The recently announced new primary healthcare system for migrant workers, including the Primary Care Plan, enables them to receive acute or chronic medical care that is accessible, affordable and in a timely manner.