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Written Answer by Mr Lim Swee Say, Minister for Manpower, to Parliamentary Question on why employers are not required to bear medication costs for outpatient treatment under the Employment Act

Employment practices

NOTICE PAPER NO. 997 OF 2017 FOR THE SITTING ON 5 FEBRUARY

QUESTION NO. 1714 FOR ORAL ANSWER

MP: MR ZAINAL SAPARI

To ask the Minister for Manpower what is the reason for the Employment Act not mandating that medication costs for outpatient treatment be borne by employers.

Answer

  1. The Employment Act requires employers to provide sick leave to employees after 3 months of service. To apply for sick leave, the employee must obtain a medical certificate by a government doctor or a doctor appointed by the employer. To ensure the employee can do so, we therefore require the employer to pay for the consultation fees.
  2. Beyond this, there is no requirement for employers to provide additional mandatory medical benefits for their employees. This is so that job seekers in poorer health or with pre-existing illnesses would not face more hurdles in finding employment. Even so, a MOM survey showed that a vast majority (86%) of employers do offer outpatient benefits on a voluntary basis.
  3. Singaporean low-wage workers who face difficulties in meeting their medication costs can access subsidised outpatient care at government polyclinics and specialist outpatient clinics (SOCs) at public hospitals. In addition, lower- and middle-income Singaporeans on the Community Health Assist Scheme (CHAS) can enjoy even higher subsidies at SOCs. They can also use the CHAS card to access subsidised outpatient medical and dental care at private general practitioners and dental clinics.