No more subsidies for foreigners at polyclinics

TooFree SG

The Health Ministry will stop providing subsidies to foreigners at the polyclinics from January next year.

It will also reduce the subsidies given to Permanent Residents.

Currently, foreigners are subsidised like citizens, paying only $8 for basic consultation fees.

With the new regulation, foreigners will likely pay about $16, while Permanent Residents can expect to pay $12.

Foreign patients make up about 5 per cent of the patient-load at polyclinics.

The Health Ministry says it's not appropriate to subsidise foreign workers as it's the employers' responsibility to do so.

Health Minister Khaw Boon Wan first indicated plans to revoke the subsidies more than one month ago.

The change will affect 540,000 work permit holders and 80,000 employment pass holders here. -CNA

Serious guys, I feel that this is a good move for all Singaporean ... but don't you find it lacks compassion for low-income foreign workers or PRs?
Or is it just me? Haiz! Neutral

pat33 SG

Agree with you that this is the right move.

But somehow or rather, by gut feeling, I think the govt will change it soon or later. To what? I don't know. Why? I can't say.

I can only say this. It is easy to ramp policies down our mouths (because we are Singaporean, can't run away) but you cannot do it so straight forward with the foreigner.

ndmmxiaomayi SG

Families with maids will not be happy. This move applies to maids too. Remember that employers are responsible for their workers' health.

alexkusu SG

Confused

Administrators SG

pink ic is valuable

dragg SG

it puts more burden on employers.

dakkon_blackblade SG

Well, employer pay or government pay, it’s all still our money…

dragg SG

employers pay with your money?

sbst275 SG

Anyway, why should they be subisidising if they have insurance?

BrUtUs SG

seriously its a useless move…. only tryin to con sg ppl… just an election gimmick…

sbst275 SG

By right, they should not even subsidise them in the 1st place

robertteh SG

When a government begins to put up all kinds of arguments like foreign talents are good and failing to recognise our promote our own talents they can no longer look after its own people's problems.

The government has taken the citizens for granted by ignoring their high costs of living or struggles in lives but only continuously used arrogant authoritarian dares and fallacies or argument to get what they want.

In short, it is no longer a government when it is taking the course of offerring all the goodies to foreigners, giving them PR without sanctions by the people and all kinds of benefits like exemption from NS etc.

Even if we need some foreign talents to run our businesses or industries, the govern should only do so by identifying clearly the particular skills and technological practical knowledge that we do not have.

If we must grant jobs to foreigners to those possessing skills or knowledge our citizens do not possess, there ought to be safeguards against greedy employers who would take the opportunity to employ foreign workers at the expense of our own citizens just to save a few dollars. There are now too many foreigners taking over our citizens' jobs without meeting such scrutiny or selection process. In the long run we will rob the jobs from our own citizens and our new graduates will become unemployed. Such wrong government action will cause our citizens to lose the loyalty to their own country and cause brain drain.

Like what Dr. Catherine Lim has sadi the government has separated from the people by not listening to people and doing things persistently in its own way using jusfitications and look-good fallacy about pragmatism or their own meaning of success in such persistent wrongs.

Here are some basics of government which they nowadays fail to understand:-

(1) To serve the people's needs and aspirations,

(2) To carry out their duties and responsibilities with honour and integrity,

(3) To be loyal to the citizens of Singapore and serve them without self-interests or attempts to promote their own brand or elitism under whatever name or justifications.

(4) To make amends and corrections on any mistakes without unwarranted generalities or avoidance or double talks or fallacies.

sbst275 SG

In the 1st place, it is we ourselves that caused the inflations...

It is only that we dun admit it

robertteh SG

Government action like pushing up of all salaries and prices to price out certain lower grades of industries has caused untold problems to the whole economy.

Read the Goh Keng Swee doctrine as posted at PGPB thread. Yes, people also collectively might have contributed to inflations but it is the government who is in charge who has to do something as their duties in governing the country to avoid such problem. Allan Greenspan is an example of government taking full responsibility to solve problems without all the constant denials like our leaders have done.

sbst275 SG

Well, actually it is a joint problem...

We want higher wages, ends up higher cost... But the govt side, also zhou kui..

That's why I get mad when ppl say in a ST survey that they are not willing to pay higher for goods when employing Singaporeans... Haven't they thought abt themselves...

vito_corleone SG

i'm local and i've never even stepped into a polyclinic Laughing

browniebaobao SG

i dinoe that foreigners got subsidies wan leh..

plo30360 SG

Second genration PR males have to serve NS. And there are many who do so like their Singaporean counterparts. Some, of these carry on to become citizens. So, for them it would be fair to give subsidies.

The same would apply for PRs who live here for long periods of time(and not all in this group are offered citizenship even if they want to) as well as those who contribute significanlty to Singapore.