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SINGAPORE - Subsidies for foreigners needing emergency care are here to stay, Health Minister Gan Kim Yong told Parliament yesterday. He also provided statistics to show that this contributed minimally to the Government's healthcare spending.
He was responding to Member of Parliament Baey Yam Keng (Tampines Group Representation Constituency), who had asked if the Government would remove subsidies for foreigners receiving Accident and Emergency (A&E) care or impose means testing - where the patient's ability to pay determines the size of the bill.
This is because foreigners here would probably be covered by workplace insurance or travel insurance, he said.
Currently, a 50-per-cent subsidy is given to all A&E patients regardless of their nationality. Mr Gan said that, over the last five years, foreigners made up 18 per cent of the yearly patient load at A&E departments - amounting to government subsidies of S$14 million every year.
This is less than 1 per cent of the Health Ministry's total spending on subsidised patient services at public hospitals, which amounted to S$2.2 billion.
"For A&E services, because they affect life and death, we want to make sure administrative processes in the A&E departments are kept as simple as possible," he said.
He pointed out that not all foreigners here have workplace insurance as they are on long-term visit passes.
And as A&E departments provide critical attention for a short period of time, getting hospital staff to verify the patient's nationality or doing means testing will only add to their administrative burden, he said.
"We still like to keep our A&E departments streamlined (and) focus on treating the patients, ensuring that everyone who comes to A&E receives the emergency treatment that they need," added Mr Gan.
As for Singaporeans who need further help even after the 50-per-cent subsidy, Mr Gan cited the existing Medifund scheme and said the Government would continue to look at ways to help the needy.
He was responding to Member of Parliament Baey Yam Keng (Tampines Group Representation Constituency), who had asked if the Government would remove subsidies for foreigners receiving Accident and Emergency (A&E) care or impose means testing - where the patient's ability to pay determines the size of the bill.
This is because foreigners here would probably be covered by workplace insurance or travel insurance, he said.
Currently, a 50-per-cent subsidy is given to all A&E patients regardless of their nationality. Mr Gan said that, over the last five years, foreigners made up 18 per cent of the yearly patient load at A&E departments - amounting to government subsidies of S$14 million every year.
This is less than 1 per cent of the Health Ministry's total spending on subsidised patient services at public hospitals, which amounted to S$2.2 billion.
"For A&E services, because they affect life and death, we want to make sure administrative processes in the A&E departments are kept as simple as possible," he said.
He pointed out that not all foreigners here have workplace insurance as they are on long-term visit passes.
And as A&E departments provide critical attention for a short period of time, getting hospital staff to verify the patient's nationality or doing means testing will only add to their administrative burden, he said.
"We still like to keep our A&E departments streamlined (and) focus on treating the patients, ensuring that everyone who comes to A&E receives the emergency treatment that they need," added Mr Gan.
As for Singaporeans who need further help even after the 50-per-cent subsidy, Mr Gan cited the existing Medifund scheme and said the Government would continue to look at ways to help the needy.
If the true cost of a FT is higher, then their employers should bare the cost & not the taxpayers
