Medical Costs of Foreign Domestic Workers
Ministry of ManpowerSpeakers
Summary
This question concerns MP Lim Biow Chuan’s inquiry on whether the Ministry of Manpower will review the rule requiring employers to pay for all medical costs of foreign domestic workers, even for non-work-related treatments. Minister Josephine Teo responded that employers are responsible for such care to ensure workers receive proper treatment and to maintain clear lines of responsibility while they are in Singapore. She noted that mandatory medical insurance of at least $15,000 covers both work and non-work-related hospitalisation, which has been sufficient for 95% of all such bills over the last three years. Employers may choose to purchase higher coverage, and those experiencing financial difficulty paying for hospitalisation bills are encouraged to approach medical social workers at hospitals for assistance. Ultimately, the current policy ensures that foreign domestic workers are protected while providing employers with insurance options and social support to manage the costs associated with their healthcare needs.
Transcript
74 Mr Lim Biow Chuan asked the Minister for Manpower whether the Ministry will review the rule that employers must bear all medical costs of their foreign domestic workers especially where the medical treatment is not related to the work of the worker.
Mrs Josephine Teo: Singapore has a sizeable number of foreign domestic workers (FDWs) who provide essential caregiving and household support to families. In setting out the rules of their employment, we seek to ensure they get proper care while in Singapore and establish clear lines of responsibility.
Employers are responsible for their FDWs’ medical care, as long as the FDW remains in Singapore. To ensure that they can cope with large bills, employers are required to purchase medical insurance to provide coverage of at least $15,000 for their FDWs, to cover hospitalisation episodes regardless of how the need arose. In other words, the hospitalisation insurance covers both treatment for both work-related and non-work-related conditions. This amount has been sufficient to cover about 95% of all hospitalisation bills incurred by FDWs over the past three years. Employers can also opt for higher coverage from their insurance provider.
Employers who face financial difficulty paying for the hospitalisation bills of their FDWs may approach medical social workers at the hospitals for assistance. Beyond hospitalisation expenses, employers of FDWs may assess the benefit of further insurance coverage in the same way all employers can voluntarily do so.