Healthcare Subsidies for Long-Term Visit Pass Holders Married to Singapore Citizens

Mdm Speaker, Singapore Citizens and Permanent Residents (PRs) receive Government subsidies at public healthcare institutions, with citizens receiving a higher level of subsidies. This is in line with the broader Government policy of differentiating benefits by citizenship status.

Patients are extended subsidies based on their own citizenship status, and not that of their spouses. This is the general principle which applies to different types of Government subsidies, including for healthcare services. To support Singaporeans with foreign spouses who have not obtained permanent residence or citizenship, the Government decided in 2012, to extend healthcare subsidies for inpatient services to foreign spouses who are LTVP-Plus holders. They are given the same level of subsidies for inpatient services as PRs.

Mdm Speaker, we need to be mindful that the cost of extending Government subsidies to LTVP holders will ultimately be borne by all Singaporeans. Any proposal to further extend more Government subsidies to foreigners, who are neither PRs nor LTVP-Plus holders, would need to be carefully considered.

I thank the Minister of State for the answer. Can I just have a quick supplementary question? What are the criteria which the Ministry is using in justifying a subsidy for LTVP-Plus, but not LTVP? Could you elaborate?

Mdm Speaker, I think I have explained this in my reply, that we provide subsidies to LTVP-Plus holders for inpatient services that are pegged at the same level as PRs. Foreign spouses of Singaporeans can be given LTVP or LTVP-Plus. So, there is a differentiation in terms of the benefits of these two categories, including subsidies for healthcare services.

Sorry if I did not make myself clear. Just wanted to know what are the criteria that make the Ministry decide on giving that to the LTVP-Plus, but not the LTVP. There must be some form of criteria, because both are LTVPs − one has Plus and one has no Plus. There must be some form of criteria that motivates the decision.

Mdm Speaker, this goes back to when the LTVP-Plus scheme was introduced and the policy intent was to have two categories of LTVP holders − one is LTVP, the other one is LTVP-Plus.

Between the two categories, there will be a differentiation in terms of the benefits for these two groups. Similar to how we differentiate the benefits for citizens, PRs, LTVP-Plus and LTVP.

I think that is the policy decision to have these different categories of LTVP holders and the healthcare subsidy is part of this differentiation. Therefore, it is extended to LTVP-Plus holders but not to LTVP holders.

Just one supplementary question for the Minister of State. The Minister of State alluded to the cost factor. Has the Government actually done a study on quantifying what will be the cost impact if this benefit was extended to LTVP spouses of Singaporeans, beyond just the LTVP-Plus? Is there a ballpark figure in mind?