Your helper says she is unwell. It is 9pm, or it is a Sunday, or you are about to leave for work. Do you send her to a polyclinic? Book a GP? Is this an A&E situation?
Most employers guess, and most guess the same way: polyclinic, because polyclinics are the cheap option in Singapore. For your helper, that assumption is usually wrong — and it can cost you more than double.
Here is how the three options actually compare, and how to decide quickly.
First: What You Are Actually Paying For
Two things surprise employers.
You pay, and you cannot deduct it. Under MOM rules you are responsible for your helper's necessary medical care, and you cannot take it out of her salary.
Your insurance almost certainly does not cover this. The medical insurance MOM requires you to buy (minimum S$60,000 per year) is for hospitalisation and day surgery. A consultation for a sore throat, a stye, or a twisted ankle is outpatient care — you pay it out of pocket. That is why the choice of clinic matters financially at all.
Where the insurance does matter is the serious end: for covered claims above S$15,000 in a year, the insurer pays 75% and you pay 25% of the amount above that.
Option 1: Private GP — The Default for Most Situations
A private GP consultation typically runs S$30 to S$80, with after-hours visits at the higher end. Waiting time is usually 15 to 45 minutes.
For the everyday things — fever, cough, stomach upset, a small infection, a minor sprain — this is normally the fastest and cheapest route for a helper.
Find one near your home rather than near your workplace. She may need to go back for a follow-up, and a clinic she can walk to is a clinic she will actually return to.
Option 2: Polyclinic — Where the Subsidy Myth Breaks
This is the one worth reading carefully.
Polyclinic subsidies apply to Singapore citizens and PRs only. Your helper is a Work Permit holder, so she is charged non-resident rates.
At National University Polyclinics, as of the 1 September 2026 fee schedule:
| Singapore citizen (subsidised) | Non-resident (your helper) | |
|---|---|---|
| Medical consultation | S$19.60 | S$83.71 |
| Family physician consultation | S$38.00 | S$103.55 |
There is also a S$75 deposit collected at registration for non-residents, and no GST subsidy. Consultation fees do not include medication, lab tests, x-rays or vaccinations.
So a polyclinic visit for your helper can cost more than double a private GP — and you will likely wait 1 to 3 hours without an appointment, versus well under an hour at most GPs.
Rates differ slightly between polyclinic clusters, so check your nearest one. But the direction is the same everywhere: the polyclinic price advantage does not exist for a helper.
When a polyclinic still makes sense: referrals into the public hospital system, chronic condition follow-up, and certain vaccinations or screening where the polyclinic is simply the right place. Just do not go there expecting it to be the budget option.
Option 3: A&E — Only When It Is Genuinely Urgent
A&E is the most expensive route by a wide margin, and non-urgent cases wait a long time because triage puts the seriously ill first.
Go to A&E, or call 995, without hesitating for: chest pain, difficulty breathing, uncontrolled bleeding, loss of consciousness or confusion, a suspected fracture with visible deformity, a serious burn, a head injury, or a sudden severe reaction.
If you are genuinely unsure whether something is urgent, treat it as urgent. Cost is the wrong thing to optimise in that moment.
A Quick Way to Decide
| Situation | Where to go |
|---|---|
| Fever, cough, cold, stomach upset | GP |
| Stye, skin infection, rash | GP first — it may refer you on |
| Minor cut, small burn, mild sprain | GP |
| Suspected fracture, deep cut, heavy bleeding | A&E |
| Chest pain, breathing difficulty, fainting, head injury | A&E / 995 immediately |
| Toothache, wisdom tooth | Dentist — not covered by your insurance |
| Follow-up after a hospital discharge | Wherever you were referred |
Note the last two rows. Dental is the one that ambushes employers most often, and it is a separate cost problem — we cover it in the dental guide below.
Keep the Receipts — All of Them
Two reasons.
If anything escalates into a hospitalisation, your insurer will want a clear record. And separately, medical costs are one of the easiest household expenses to lose track of, because they arrive unplanned and in small amounts across months.
Photograph every receipt the day you get it, note what the visit was for, and keep it with your other household expense records. Reconstructing a year of clinic visits from memory at renewal time is genuinely difficult.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I take my helper to a polyclinic in Singapore?
Yes, but she is charged non-resident rates, because polyclinic subsidies apply only to Singapore citizens and PRs. At NUP's 1 September 2026 rates, a non-resident medical consultation is S$83.71 versus S$19.60 for a citizen, plus a S$75 deposit at registration. A private GP at S$30 to S$80 is often cheaper and faster.
Does maid insurance cover a doctor's visit in Singapore?
Generally no. The medical insurance MOM requires (minimum S$60,000 per year) covers hospitalisation and day surgery, not routine outpatient consultations. Everyday clinic visits are an out-of-pocket cost for the employer.
Who pays when a domestic helper is sick in Singapore?
The employer does. You are responsible for your helper's necessary medical care, and you cannot deduct the cost from her salary.
Is a polyclinic cheaper than a GP for my helper?
Usually not. Without the citizen subsidy, a polyclinic consultation for a helper can cost more than double a private GP visit, and typically involves a much longer wait.
When should I take my helper to A&E instead of a clinic?
For chest pain, breathing difficulty, uncontrolled bleeding, loss of consciousness, head injury, suspected fracture with deformity, serious burns, or a sudden severe reaction — go to A&E or call 995. For anything routine, a GP is faster and far cheaper.
How HelperMate Helps
Clinic visits are unplanned, and that is exactly why they slip through the cracks. HelperMate keeps the household's petty cash and expenses on one running balance, with receipts captured by photo, so a S$60 consultation in March is still there in November when you need it. Your helper sees the same record in her own language, so nothing has to be reconstructed from memory by either side.