Financing Your Admission - Singapore General Hospital

Medisave

You can use Medisave to pay your hospital bill as well as that of your immediate family, i.e. your spouse, children, parents or grandparents. If you are using your Medisave for your grandparents, they must be Singapore Citizens or Permanent Residents.

During admission, you should inform the Admissions staff that you intent to use your Medisave to pay. You should also bring along your NRIC/Passport or your CPF membership card. You will also need to sign a Medisave Authorisation Form authorising the CPF Board to deduct from your Medisave Account to pay for the hospital bill.

Medisave CAN be used for the following:

You may request to use your Medisave to pay for the hospital bill of non-immediate family members (ie. Brother, sister, uncle, aunty, in-laws, niece and nephew). Your request will be evaluated provided that the patient:

Is staying in a B2 or C class ward
Is a Singapore Citizen or a Permanent Resident
Does not have a Medisave Account
Has immediate family members who do not have enough Medisave funds and cannot afford to pay for hospital bill
Is a dependant of the Medisave account holder

Medisave CANNOT be used for the following:

Outpatient consultation fees, tests and investigations (except for approved Chronic Disease Management)
Charges for medical reports
Expenditure on equipment, devices and appliances such as wheelchairs
Private expenditures such as telephone calls, faxes and personal laundry
Hospitalisation charges if hospitalisation is less than 8 hours, with the exception of day surgery cases
Ambulance fees
Rental of sleeper units

For more information for Medisave withdrawal limits for inpatient, day surgery and maternity, please visit the MOH webpage on Healthcare Financing. There is also a withdrawal limit for the use of Medisave for selected outpatient treatment, eg. renal dialysis, chemotherapy, radiotherapy, etc.

Medishield Life

MediShield Life replaced MediShield from 1 Nov 2015, and will offer:

Better protection and higher payouts, so that patients pay less Medisave/cash for large hospital
Protection For All Singapore Citizens and Permanent Residents, including the very old and those who have pre-existing illnesses

MediShield Life is a basic health insurance, administered by the Central Provident Fund (CPF) Board, which helps to pay for large hospital bills and selected costly outpatient treatments, such as dialysis and chemotherapy for cancer.

MediShield Life coverage is sized for subsidised treatment in public hospitals. Those who choose to stay in a Class A/B1 wards or in a private hospital are also covered by MediShield Life. However, as MediShield Life payouts are pegged at Class B2/C wards, the MediShield Life payout will make up a small proportion of the bill only. The patient may therefore need to pay more of their bill from Medisave and/or cash.

The Government will also provide significant support to keep premiums affordable, including those who need to pay Additional Premiums:

Premium Subsidies for the lower- to middle-income;
Pioneer Generation Subsidies for Pioneers;
Transitional Subsidies to ease the shift to MediShield Life for Singapore Citizens; and
Additional Premium Support for those who are unable to afford their premiums even after premium subsidies.

MediShield Life premiums will be affordable, and may be fully paid from Medisave.

View Ministry of Health Singapore's list of video explainers for more clarity on MediShield Life.

Private Medical Insurance (PMI)

Private Medical Insurance is a scheme which allows CPF members to use their Medisave savings to buy Medisave-approved Integrated Shield Plans for themselves and their dependants. Dependants refer to a member's parents, spouse, children and grandparents. Premiums can be paid from your Medisave account, with a limit of S$800 per annum per person, or S$1150 for those above 80 years old.

Each insured person can only have one Medisave-approved Integrated Shield Plan paid with Medisave. Frequently Asked Questions on MediShield

Financial Assistance for Singaporeans

Patients or family members who have difficulty paying for the medical bills can approach any staff who will help refer them to the medical social workers at the hospital/institution for assistance. The request will be kept strictly confidential. The amount of help given will vary, depending on multiple factors such as the bill size and the financial circumstances of the patient and his family.

The following options will be explored:

Downgrading to subsidised class status (need to undergo financial assessment as part of the application process)
Medifund, an endowment fund set up by the Government to help needy Singaporeans who have difficulty paying for their subsidised medical expenses even after insurance and Medisave
Other government assistance schemes such as Medication Assistance Fund
Appeals to the various endowment funds