Hospitalisation of Foreign Domestic Workers

Er Dr Lee Bee Wah asked the Acting Minister for Manpower (a) how many foreign domestic workers (FDWs) required hospitalisation in the course of their employment in the past three years; (b) what is the range of hospitalisation fees incurred by their employers; (c) how are these fees covered under the insurance policy for FDWs; and (d) what is the current limit on the medical insurance coverage for FDWs.

The Government does not give any healthcare subsidies to foreigners, including foreign domestic workers (FDWs). When employers bring in FDWs, we must ensure that any medical bills incurred by the FDW do not remain unpaid and get passed on to taxpayers. This would be unfair to society at large.

Therefore, MOM requires all employers of FDWs and non-domestic Work Permit Holders to bear the full costs of employing these workers, including bearing the cost of their medical treatment. Employers must comply with this condition when they apply for work passes.

In order to help employers meet the financial burden of bearing the medical costs of their foreign workers, including FDWs, mandatory employer-financed medical insurance for day surgery and inpatient expenses was introduced in 2008, for each Work Permit and S Pass holder employed. The minimum medical insurance coverage was set at a basic level in order to keep premiums affordable for the vast majority of employers. Employers who wish to be covered for higher medical bills are free to purchase insurance coverage beyond the mandatory minimum.

We regularly review whether the minimum medical insurance coverage is adequate. In 2010, in response to feedback from employers, we raised the minimum insurance requirement from $5,000 to $15,000. The $15,000 minimum insurance requirement covered an average of 98% of FDW medical bills from 2010 to 2012, and continues to provide a reasonable level of protection for employers at affordable premiums. The incidence of FDWs requiring hospitalisation care remains low. On average, less than 1% of FDWs were hospitalised at our public healthcare institutions over the last three years.

Employers who still face difficulties in paying medical bills beyond the insured amount may approach the relevant healthcare provider to discuss various options, such as instalment payments. We encourage employers to avail themselves of higher insurance coverage, beyond the minimum requirement, if they wish to have greater protection and peace of mind.