Mr Mohd Fahmi Aliman asked the Minister for Manpower (a) since the introduction of the Primary Care Plan (PCP) in 2022, how many migrant workers have benefited from access to primary care services under this programme; (b) what metrics has the Ministry used to measure the success of the PCP; and (c) whether any financial benefits have been reported by employers as a result of migrant workers' access to the PCP, particularly in terms of reducing healthcare-related absences and maintaining productivity.
Dr Tan See Leng: Currently, there are more than 490,000 migrant workers enrolled in the Primary Care Plan (PCP).
PCP provides quality, accessible and affordable care to migrant workers. Appointed medical service providers must adhere to licensing and regulatory standards by the Ministry of Health and meet clinical quality and patient safety requirements specified by the Ministry of Manpower (MOM). Providers must employ staff who can speak the migrant workers' native languages and must provide translations of healthcare materials and medical and treatment plans in such languages. Clinics and medical centres must be located in the vicinity of migrant worker catchment areas, such as dormitories. Migrant workers pay a fixed co-payment fee of $2 per telehealth session or $5 per in-person session, so that they are not deterred from seeking medical care.
A study conducted by the National University of Singapore's Saw Swee Hock School of Public Health found that the medical centres and in-dormitory clinics operated by our PCP medical service providers were the most visited by migrant workers due to their affordability, proximity and convenience. MOM also regularly performs service satisfaction surveys and, thus far, majority of migrant workers are satisfied with PCP and its services.
PCP offers employers predictability and clarity of cost and protection against unexpected healthcare bills through a fixed annual capitation rate. With PCP, employers expect to save at least 20% when compared to the expected annual cost of consultations at General Practitioner clinics for each worker. MOM will continue to engage employers to gather feedback on PCP and ensure that quality care is provided at an affordable cost. We urge employers to encourage good health-seeking behaviours for their migrant workers, especially for preventive care, to better manage worker healthcare costs in the long term and increase productivity at work.