Subsidy for Maternity and Delivery Services at Restructured Hospitals for non-Singaporean Women
Ministry of HealthSpeakers
Summary
This question concerns whether non-Singaporean women whose children will be citizens at birth should receive maternity subsidies, as raised by Assoc Prof Daniel Goh Pei Siong. Minister for Health Gan Kim Yong stated that healthcare subsidies are based on the patient’s citizenship status rather than that of their children. He highlighted that while newborns receive benefits like the Medisave Grant, inpatient subsidies are currently limited to citizens, permanent residents, and non-citizen spouses on Long-Term Visit Pass-Plus. Minister for Health Gan Kim Yong emphasized that differentiating benefits by citizenship ensures greater support for Singaporeans while managing the financial burden on taxpayers. Therefore, any proposal to extend subsidies further to other foreigners requires careful consideration to maintain the policy objective of prioritizing Singapore Citizens.
Transcript
66 Assoc Prof Daniel Goh Pei Siong asked the Minister for Health other than women who are permanent residents or hold Long-Term Visit Pass-Plus passes, whether pregnant non-Singaporean women whose child will become a Singapore Citizen at birth should benefit from Government subsidies for maternity and delivery services at restructured hospitals.
Mr Gan Kim Yong: Singapore Citizens and Permanent Residents receive Government subsidies at public healthcare institutions, with citizens receiving a higher level of subsidies. This is in line with the larger Government policy of differentiating social benefits and subsidies by citizenship status.
Patients are extended healthcare subsidies based on their citizenship status and not that of their children. This principle applies to all healthcare services, including maternity and delivery services. For newborns who are Singaporeans, they are eligible for healthcare subsidies and other benefits such as the Medisave Grant for Newborns and the Government's contribution to the Child Development Account.
We understand that some Singapore Citizens with non-citizen spouses and some Singaporean children with non-citizen parents may require additional support. This feedback has also been raised by other Members previously. Since 2012, MOH has extended inpatient subsidies to non-citizen spouses who are on Long-Term Visit Pass-Plus.
We have to take into account the policy objective of differentiating social benefits and subsidies by citizenship, to give greater support to Singapore Citizens. We also need to be mindful that the cost of giving more Government subsidies will ultimately be borne by all Singaporeans. Hence, any proposal to further extend more Government subsidies to foreigners who are neither Permanent Residents nor Long-Term Visit Pass-Plus holders would need to be carefully considered.