QUESTION
Dear HR Community Subscribers,
We are in the construction industry and I am looking for ways to reduce our medical costs.
I noticed that our medical bill consists of two components i.e. the consultation fee and the medicines.
Are employers responsible for both the consultation and medicine costs?
Can we just bear the cost of the doctor's consultation fee?
How can we reduce medical costs for our employees?
Thank you for your advice.
Daphne
HR Poll: Are employers responsible for both the consultation and medicine costs?
Yes: 64.29%
No: 21.43%
Maybe: 14.29%
REPLIES & COMMENTS
You can implement a co-payment of 20% to reduce the cost. - Jennie
Employers only need to cover both consultation fees and medicines for foreign work permit holders but only need to cover consultation fees for locals. - Joanne
Do you not have GHS that covers outpatient too? if you don't, then you might want to consider how insurance companies operate to just cap reimbursement for up to $25. that's the common reimbursement limit for many GHS policies. - Erin
The company bears the consultation fees. You can set a medical benefit to cover their medications up to a fixed amount per annum. - Diona
This is unavoidable. You can save costs in other parts of business operation, or just don't give medical benefits at all. Breaking it into small details will get dissatisfaction from employees and they'll think the company is stingy. or, you can establish a maximum claim amount. - Kelly
Consider co-payments or insurance to cap the costs. The health of the employees is important. You do not want to cap it in such a way where they do not see the doctor when sick and affect the other employees. - Richard
Introduce capping or have major medical insurance which covers panel clinics. - Krystal
According to the Employment Act (EA), the employer is required to reimburse only medical consultation fee, however, the employer can cover beyond the EA. Can consider capping the medical fees per claim and/or yearly. - Sherina
Our company has an annual medical and dental entitlement for all staff. If they have exceeded, they need to pay from their own pocket. - Mary
This is considered one of the staff benefits. - Jan
Employers are only required to bear the consultation fees from the list of approved public medical institutions.
Perhaps you can reduce medicals cost by:
1. Covers consultation fees and employees to visit doctor based on the list of approved public medical institutions
2. Promote physical and mental well-being in the workplace
3. Use a co-funding method
Jessica
HRSINGAPORE | HR Community Message | Reducing medical costs
