COMPULSORY MEDICAL INSURANCE FOR FOREIGN WORKERS

COMPULSORY MEDICAL INSURANCE FOR FOREIGN WORKERS: * * *

32.

Ms Cham Hui Fong asked the Minister for Manpower (a) in light of the withdrawal of medical subsidies, if he will provide an update on the compulsory medical insurance for foreign workers; and (b) whether this basic medical insurance plan can be made compulsory for all local employees.

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Dr Ng Eng Hen: Many employers already have group insurance plans to cover all their employees - foreign and local. However, my Ministry is also presently working with insurers to provide an opt-in scheme that employers can choose to subscribe to for hospitalisation coverage of their foreign workers. Such a scheme may help to mitigate the insurance cost to employers through economies of scale. We will release details after we have evaluated the insurers' proposals.

The plan to have employers purchase medical insurance for their foreign workers is linked to the Health Ministry's move to remove subsidies that employers currently enjoy when their foreign workers are hospitalised.

For local workers, mandatory CPF Medisave contributions are already required for all workers. The contribution amounts, even for low wage workers, will be adequate to pay for premiums of MediShield policies, which provide far more extensive coverage than what the foreign workers will enjoy. Under our 3M framework, those requiring further assistance can obtain help from Medifund.

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