My helper has cancer...

Hello


currently spending xmas in europe, I learnt my helper was diagnosed with ovarian cancer. she spent a few days in queen mary and went back home and wait for a scan on 15th january.


i have noticed for the past weeks that she lost so much weight and i have asked her to see a doctor she looked sick but she did not. she waited to have tummy pain to go to hospital.


Anyways i am still away until thursday and apperantly the doctor wants me to attend the full scan on the 15th which is ok and normal. I am very sad for my helper she does not deserve this at all.


Talking about LAW, the contract says i am fully responsible for her and i have to pay all the medical bills, but there is not maximum limits; which means if she has to have a surgery i have to pay ? then the Chimio i als have to pay ?


does anyone has experienced this before ? also in the worse case scenario where the helper past away what is my responsability there ? what should i do in this case ?


i am very sad but in the mean time i am totally lost and the last question is can i still hire another helper because i need for my kids


thanks for your help

absolutely get a second opinion, preferably from a private doctor/hospital.

If you have bought insurance for your helper she should be covered. Seek a public hospital instead of private, they are just as good and have world class equipment. This will help with the costs. In fact public HK hospitals are not expensive at all. Yes, you can get another helper just approach the Immigration Department and explain the situation.

Hi Marianne


I feel so sorry for you, the timing is so bad as to have happen during year end and when times are so bad.


Incidentally i was just told by my insurance agent about her client's case this afternoon. same case as yours and her client had to fork out the total cost for her maid's operation and treatment. this maid is still in the hospital. we concluded that the simple medical tests that maid agency does is not good enough. they only tested for aids and hepatitis. and in future when we employ new maids we are going to pay extra for complete medical tests which would include cancer markings. Lisa my agent said that insurance company do not cover all risks for maids, just the usual coverage.


If you have bought medical insurance for your maid, the right thing to do is to check with your insurance company.


And the relevant bodies for the governing laws, cause if she pass away then it would be a straightforward case, if not how long you have to provide care for her since it may take quite some time for her recovery and in the meantime you still need a maid for your kids.


it is a difficult situation you are facing, do your best within your means. It is real sad, what your maid needs is your comfort and courage. she must be very worried and scare herself. My heart goes to both of you.


be strong and stay calm.


god bless!


JJ Chen

Mariannehkg,


real sorry to hear what happened to your helper and you. don't panick yet. the first thing to do is to have a careful read of the insurance policy you have taken out for your helper and see the coverage. there will be a cap for surgical and hospitalization benefits, most likely $20000 to $30000. in light of that, i totally agree with others who suggested that you stay with the public hospital system -- that will allow your helper's insurance coverage to be used much more efficiently than in a private hospital and for just as good treatment (i'm not a big fan of the public hospitals' accident & emergency department but their other services are good).


i can see you are worried about your obligation to your helper AS A MATTER OF LAW. this is always a hard thing to say but, from my reading of the rules, your liability is not unlimited. you are responsible for her medical expenses when she is in your employment, and you cannot terminate her when she's on paid sickness leave, which is accumulated according to a formula prescribed by the rules and up to 120 days. when she's no longer on paid sickness leave and if she still has not recovered, then clause 9(c) of the employment contract says you may be able to terminate her contract and repatriate her to her home country. this is just my reading of the rules (others please correct me if i'm wrong) and if you want to make sure you should call the labor dept and immigration dept to clarify. (others please do not attack me for making this explanation of the rules -- i'm not suggesting that Marianne should sack her sick helper but she's entitled to know what her legal rights and obligations are because nobody knows how long the treatment will take and how much it'll cost. limited liability is norm in the modern legal system as otherwise nobody can afford the risk to do anything).


in addition, your insurance policy may have cash allowance for lost of your helper's service if she's hospitalized, and may also reimburse you for expenses incurred in finding another helper, which will all help you to some extent. read your policy and you'll find out.


i'm sorry there is not much others can do for you other than making suggestion, but i do hope there is a good end to both of you in this case. again, read the insurance policy and call the gov depts to understand where you are legally, then do the best you can for your helper.

Dear Mariannehkg,


I feel sorry for you and your helper and I understand that what is truly most important to you now is for your helper to recover so everything can be back to normal.


I would like to help you so you won't feel too lost in this difficult time. I have some information on paper that is helpful to you and I would hope to talk to you in person so I can explain it to you in details. I am sure you and your helper would get the best help out of this. Hope to hear from you soon.


Take care!


James

Thanks to Everyone who has replied me It did help me.


I have seen my helper and the tumor is appearantly 15.2 cm which is not small... They did a Biopsie and showed that it is a cancer one. We will do a 3 D scan next friday and I will know more about how to treat her.


The insurance does not cover critical illness unfortunately.


See you

If I didn't have supplemental health insurance, then there is no question that I would be going through the public system. This would apply to probably 95% or more of all HK residents, as out of pocket costs in the private sector can add up quickly. As others have said, HK has a very strong health care system but you may not get everything you want when you want it. It is no different from many other systems around the world.


If the insurance plan that I purchased for my helper does not include coverage of cancer (it certainly covers repatriation of remains, dental and other standard medical, replacement of helper expenses, theft, etc), then I don't think there is anything in the law that would require me to pay out of pocket for additional tests etc when the public system is completely adequate. Hiring a helper should not mean that there is even a remote risk that you have to bear potentially catastrophic medical expenses. Helpers have an HKID and they are eligible to use the public system like everyone else. If you have the resources to help your helper with private sector care, then that's great, but that's not the expectation.


Another pertinent question is if you need to hire a second helper while your current helper is on paid medical leave, does the first helper have to stay with you? I don't have the answer. On the one hand, you want your first helper to have access to the basically free HK public health care system (versus asking her to go home and fending for herself). On the other hand, many flats simply don't have sufficient room for two helpers in the helpers' quarters.

Hi, I do have a family member who has cancer so i've gathered a bit of info about how to help with the eating habit. I think your helper MUST STOP EATING ANY MEAT RIGHT NOW!! stop letting the cancer cell grow only eat ORGANIC FOOD! it's not v. expensive. you can get from the organic food shop inside the Hong Kong station in IFC... get many SUPPLEMENTS IMMEDIATELY! EXPECIALLY GRAPE SEED EXTRACT. DO TAI CHI EVERYDAY FOR 3,4 HOURS!!! TRY TO RESCUE HER, there is still chance even though the size of the tumor seems quite big! START WITH THE DIET. if you need some info, send a msg here to me...

eat figs get from happy valley which is cheaper, yams, carrots instead of white rice and meat, drink spring water, vegetable soup, beetroot, etc don't eat meat!!!

and don't eat any bread it helps spread the cancer cells very quickly!!! get a wheel chair for her from public hospital so that she doesn't need to walk but then i guess u need to hire someone else to help with your housework that side i can't help much as i don't have a maid