Amount Owed for Medical Services Provided to Foreigners

Ms Mariam Jaafar asked the Minister for Health (a) what is the current amount owed for medical services by foreigners on Long Term Visit Pass (LTVP) holders who are part of Singaporean households; and (b) whether more can be done to help these Singaporean households that bear the cost of medical treatment for their foreign family members on LTVP.

Between 2017 and 2021, arrears by foreigners constituted less than 0.1% of the total bills issued by Public Healthcare Institutions (PHIs). This includes foreigners residing and working in Singapore, as well as some short-term visitors. The Ministry of Health (MOH) does not have data on arrears specifically for Long-Term Visit Pass (LTVP) holders.

Government healthcare subsidies are, generally, accorded to Singapore Citizens (SCs) and Permanent Residents (PRs), in line with the broader Government policy of differentiating benefits by citizenship status. While LTVP holders are not eligible for medical subsidies, some may be covered by their sponsors' employee medical benefits or other private medical insurance plans. SCs and PRs may also tap on their MediSave to pay for the medical expenses incurred by their immediate family members, and this includes those who are LTVPs.

LTVP holders who face difficulties affording their healthcare bills may approach the medical social workers at the public healthcare institutions to apply for assistance. PHIs may offer payment instalment plans or provide assistance using charity funds based on their medical social workers' assessment.