Extent of Employer's Responsibility for Migrant Domestic Worker's Medical Fees for Treatment Resulting from Worker's Social Activity during Personal Time-off

10 Ms Tin Pei Ling asked the Minister for Manpower to what extent should an employer be made responsible for a migrant domestic worker's medical fee in Singapore if the treatment needed is a consequence of the worker's own social activity during her personal off-time and on her own free will and the medical fee quantum far exceeds the insurance limits.

The Senior Minister of State for Manpower (Mr Zaqy Mohamad) (for the Minister for Manpower): Mr Deputy Speaker, employers are responsible for their Migrant Domestic Workers' (MDW) medical bills in Singapore, including medical bills incurred due to illnesses and accidents that are not work-related. Employers may repatriate their MDWs after their MDWs are certified fit for discharge and/or fit for flight.

To help employers manage their MDWs' medical expenses, they are required to purchase medical insurance plans of at least $15,000 a year to pay for inpatient care and day surgery. This is sufficient to cover about 95% of hospital bills incurred by MDWs. Beyond the mandated coverage, employers can opt for higher coverage from their insurers to better protect themselves against large bills. The Ministry of Manpower (MOM) is reviewing the minimum insurance coverage amount.

Employers who face financial difficulties in paying for their MDWs' medical bills can also approach medical social workers at the hospitals for assistance. MOM has stepped in to help some MDW employers who face genuine financial difficulty, so that their MDWs could receive appropriate treatment even if their employers were not able to meet their obligations.

Mr Deputy Speaker: Ms Tin.

Ms Tin Pei Ling (MacPherson): Thank you, Senior Minister of State. I ask this question because I have a resident who is probably one of a very few cases whereby the MDW was diagnosed with several sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) and it was discovered only on her way to the airport to take a flight back home. The work permit at that point would have been terminated. Nobody knew until she detoured to see a doctor. She was sent to the hospital and was hospitalised; the bill came up to about five figures. The employer who was an elderly was expected to be responsible for the bill.

I think under normal circumstances, if the illness or accidents, even if it is not work-related, is of no fault of the MDW, I think it would have been reasonable. But in this case, it seemed to be an excessive burden on the employer. To be fair, MOM and the hospital did try to come in to provide assistance. But my question is, is it equitable in such instances, albeit rare, for the employer to take up such a responsibility? Should the responsibility, therefore, be shared by the MDW?

Mr Zaqy Mohamad: I thank the Member for sharing her resident's plight. Indeed, I can fully understand the challenges that she faced and perhaps that feeling that it was not equitable, that this was not the fault of the employer.

But let me start with this. I recognise that employers generally depend on their Migrant Domestic Workers for a variety of reasons, whether it is help for cleaning, whether it is caregiving for the elders or children. When we employ a Migrant Domestic Worker, one thing we have to note is that we are not just hiring an employee. We are also having a person, a human. So, there is a benefit that we get from the work; there is also the risk of indiscretion, just like any humans, just like us.

Under the current framework, employers are liable for the Migrant Domestic Workers' medical bills as it is a more reasonable approach than to externalise such costs and impose them onto taxpayers, for example. We understand that due to the MDW's varying financial situations, we know that they are paid above several hundred dollars a month. Therefore, in terms of affordability, it is certainly very difficult. Therefore, we also have a medical insurance scheme today. This medical insurance scheme covers up to 95% of most medical bills. Of course, there are extenuating circumstances in cases like the one the Member highlighted. So, employers who face many difficulties, as the Member shared, MOM will try to help them out and there are schemes and funds.

Minister Tan See Leng shared in a Parliamentary Question earlier this year, that hospitals administer on our behalf, to help the outlier cases, such as this. Rest assured, whether they are work-related or not work-related, we will try to help employers as much as we can. But, ultimately, it is a fine balance that we are trying to also achieve. This is where MOM comes in. Because what we are trying to do, is to make sure that the worker is not denied appropriate treatment, despite the fact that the employer may not be able to afford the full medical bill as well.

So, on one hand, as I have shared earlier, we are reviewing the medical insurance scheme to see how best we can help more employers tackle issues with regard to medical bills related to their employees. But at the same time, in cases like this, rest assured we will do our best to help your resident. I will take the case up separately with you offline.