As part of Singapore’s CPF scheme, MediSave is a national savings scheme that we can use for healthcare expenses. This includes medical payments for both our own and our (eligible) loved ones.
Over the years, to provide more holistic healthcare coverage for Singaporeans, MediSave has increased its coverage of healthcare treatments and claims for related expenses. Currently, MediSave covers more than just hospitalisation and has extended to include health screening, vaccination, childbirth and more.
Read Also: Why You Should Top Up Your CPF Special and MediSave Accounts Rather Than Pay Down Your Home Loan?
Things To Note Before Using MediSave
All public healthcare institutions, such as polyclinics and restructured hospitals, allow for MediSave usage for eligible treatments. We can also use our MediSave savings for payments at private healthcare providers participating in the MediSave scheme, such as General Practitioner (GP) clinics, community hospitals and day rehabilitation centres.
Before heading down for a treatment, give a call to the healthcare provider to confirm the allowed MediSave usage for related expenses. We can estimate our potential claims from MediSave with CPF’s Calculator.
During payment, we will be requested to sign the Medical Claims Authorisation Form (MCAF) to allow usage of our MediSave savings. There two types of MCAF, multiple institutions and single institution. The authorisation for multiple institutions allows for a one-time authorisation for current and all treatments while the single institution authorisation is only for the specific treatment.
Related claims from the bill would be deducted from our MediSave account. A statement would be sent to us so we can keep track of our MediSave claims.
Medical Expense And Related Healthcare Cost Claimable With Medisave
#1 Hospitalisation Stay And Surgery
Going to the hospital and having to worry about the bill size can be a stressful experience. With MediSave, the claims available can help lay off most of the charges. Depending on how much MediSave and cash we have, we can also choose to visit public institutions which allow for more claims and subsidies.
For hospitalisation, there are two main expenses claimable with MediSave – hospitalisation and surgery. The claims are split under two different limits, which means that we can use more of our MediSave savings if needed.
Day surgeries such as wisdom tooth extraction are claimable. If we are admitted for more than eight hours, we would automatically be eligible to claim from MediSave for hospitalisation.
If our loved ones such as parents or children are admitted to the hospital and do not have sufficient MediSave savings, we are able to tap into our own MediSave to help pay for their bills.
| Types of Hospitalisations | MediSave Withdrawal Limits |
| Inpatient hospitalisation | $550 per day for the first two days of hospitalisation; $400 per day thereafter; + Surgical limits according to the Table of Surgical Procedures |
| Approved day surgeries | $300 per day + Surgical limits according to the Table of Surgical Procedures |
| Inpatient hospitalisation for psychiatric treatment | $550 per day for the first two days of hospitalisation;
$150 per day thereafter; up to $5,000 a year |
Source: CPF
For surgical procedures, the MediSave limits (ranging from $250 to $7,550) differ depending on the type of surgery. Do refer to MOH for the full list of surgeries and the respective withdrawal limits.
Read Also: Guide To Using Medisave for Dental Procedures
#2 Rehabilitation Treatments For Long Term Care
Post-hospitalisation, there are chronic health conditions or recovery treatments that require extended medical care. These rehabilitation treatments include physical therapy, speech therapy and respiratory therapy which are claimable under our MediSave monies.
| Rehabilitative Care | MediSave Withdrawal Limits |
| Stay in approved community hospitals | $250 per day up to $5,000 a year |
| Approved Day Hospitals | $150 per day, up to $3,000 a year |
| Day rehabilitation centres | $25 per day, up to a maximum of $1,500 a year |
| Stay in approved convalescent (nursing) hospitals | $50 per day, up to a maximum of $3,000 a year |
Source: CPF
#3 Long-Term Repeated Treatments (Cancer, Dialysis and more)
Apart from rehabilitation, diseases such as cancers, organ failures, HIV/AIDS may also require extended treatment out of hospitalisation. Patients can claim from MediSave for the following types of long-term treatments.
Radiotherapy for Cancer Patients
| Treatment | MediSave Withdrawal Limits |
| Outpatient Radiotherapy | – For External Therapy (except hemi-body radiotherapy), $80 per treatment – For Hemi-body radiotherapy, $80 per treatment – For Brachytherapy, $360 per treatment – For Stereotactic radiotherapy, $2,800 per treatment |
| Outpatient Radiosurgery Treatment (Gamma Knife or Novalis shaped beam treatment) |
Up to $7,500 per course of treatment |
| Outpatient Chemotherapy
|
Up to $1,200 per month per patient Includes analgesic medication and suppressive treatments (neuro-endocrine and nuclear medicine treatments).
|
| Outpatient MRI Scans, CT Scans And Other Diagnostics | Up to $600 per year per patient |
Source: MOH
Dialysis Treatments
| Treatment | MediSave Withdrawal Limits |
| Outpatient renal dialysis treatment | Up to $450 a month from the patient’s MediSave Account. (Patients aged 21 and below may use their parents’ MediSave Account instead) |
| Renal Dialysis consumables | Under the same $450 a month limit, – Arterio venous blood line – Arterio venous fistula needle – Dialysate – Peritoneal dialysis (PD) drainage bag – HD dialyser – Intravenous infusion set – Normal saline or bicarbonate solution – Transfer set – Disinfection cap – Connection shield – APD casette – HD locking solution – HD catheter cap and connector – Filters for portable reverse osmosis (RO) machines and HD machines – Anticoagulants for HD circuits |
Source: MOH
HIV Treatments
| Treatment | MediSave Withdrawal Limits |
| Outpatient Anti-Retroviral Treatment | Up to $550 per month per patient (Includes drugs used for the treatment of opportunistic infections. Only the patient’s own MediSave may be used. For patients aged 21 and below, their parents’ MediSave may be used.) |
Source: MOH
Other Treatments
| Treatment | MediSave Withdrawal Limits |
| Outpatient Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy | Up to $100 per treatment cycle |
| Outpatient Intravenous Antibiotic Treatment | $600 per weekly cycle, up to $2,400 a year |
| Outpatient Long Term Oxygen Therapy and Infant Continuous Positive Airway Pressure Therapy | Up to $150 per month per patient may be used for the rental of the devices that provide concentrated oxygen or pressured oxygen for the above treatments. |
| Outpatient Immuno-Suppressants (post-organ transplant) | Up to $300 per month per patient |
| Long-term Parenteral Nutrition | Up to $200 per month per patient |
| Outpatient Autologous Bone Marrow Transplant for multiple myeloma treatment | Up to $2,800 per year per patient |
| Desferrioxamine Drug and Blood Transfusion for Thalassaemia | Up to $550 per year per patient |
Source: MOH
Read Also: Beginners’ Guide To Understanding How Cancer Insurance Plans In Singapore Work
#4 Hospice and Palliative Care
Hospice and palliative care are claimable under MediSave too.
For day hospice care and home palliative, there is a combined lifetime withdrawal limit of $2,500. However, if the patient has end-stage organ failure or is diagnosed with cancer, there is no withdrawal limit if the bill is paid using the patient’s MediSave account.
The severely disabled aged 30 and above, can withdraw up to $200 per month for their healthcare needs. This withdrawal amount depends on their Medisave Balance at the point of withdrawal.
#5 Childbirth And Assisted Conception Procedures
For potential or new parents, healthcare expenses related to having a child are claimable with MediSave. There are two treatments that are claimable – childbirth and assisted conception.
For childbirth, you can claim in three areas – pre-delivery, surgery and hospitalisation. The medical expense claimable for pre-delivery is up to $900. Depending on the type of delivery, your surgical withdrawal limit ranges from $750 to $2,600. Lastly, for hospitalisation, the withdrawal limits follow as per normal, and it depends on how long you are admitted for.
Upon giving birth, the child would be granted $4,000 in their MediSave. This can be used immediately for any related healthcare cost for the child such as vaccination and hospitalisation.
Couples that are trying to conceive can claim from MediSave to pay for Assisted Conception Procedures such as in-vitro fertilisation (IVF) or intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI). Based on the number of attempts, a couple can withdraw $6,000, $5,000 and $4,000 for their first, second and third attempts. The lifetime limit claimable for each spouse is $15,000.
#6 Outpatient Medical Care (Includes Old Age Medical Care)
Introduced in 2021, Singapore residents can claim from MediSave for eligible outpatient treatments under the MediSave 500 or MediSave 700 scheme. All patients are allowed to claim up to $500 annually under MediSave 500 which covers vaccination and screening costs.
To qualify for MediSave 700, patients would have to be under the Chronic Disease Management Programme (CDMP) to claim up to $700 yearly for chronic disease-related treatments, vaccination, and screening cost.
Under CDMP, the programme covers over 20 conditions which include diabetes, stroke, asthma, and major depression. Relevant chronic treatments are claimable with a 15% co-payment. For example, if treatment cost $100, the patient would have to fork out $15 and the rest would be claimable from MediSave. Chronic disease patients can visit participating Community Health Assist Scheme (CHAS) Medical GP clinics for treatments.
For Singapore residents aged 60 and above, on top of the MediSave 500 and MediSave 700, there is an additional $300 annual limit given under the Flexi-MediSave scheme. The scheme also allows for individuals to pay for their spouse’s outpatient fees. Flexi-MediSave can be used at participating CHAS Medical GP clinics, polyclinics, and specialist outpatient clinics.
Read Also: Complete Guide To The Community Health Assist Scheme (CHAS)
#7 Vaccination
As the saying goes, prevention is better than cure. Under the MediSave 500 or MediSave 700, we can claim approved vaccination cost for ourselves and our children. The limit of our vaccination cost is capped at $500 or $700 annually based on the MediSave scheme that we qualify for.
The vaccinations are based on Singapore’s National Childhood Immunisation Schedule and National Adult Immunisation Schedule. Below are the lists of approved vaccinations that we can claim from MediSave through approved medical providers.
Approved Vaccinations
| Vaccinations | Under the National Childhood Immunisation Schedule | Under the National Adult Immunisation Schedule |
| Pneumococcal vaccinations (for children below 5 years of age) | Y | Y |
| Human Papillomavirus (HPV) (for females between 9 and 26 years of age) i) Cervarix ii) Gardasil (4-valent HPV vaccine) |
Y | Y |
| Hepatitis B vaccination | Y | Y |
| Measles, Mumps and Rubella (MMR) | Y | Y |
| Tuberculosis (BCG) | Y | N |
| Diphtheria, Pertussis & Tetanus (DTaP/Tdap) | Y | Y |
| Poliomyelitis | Y | N |
| Haemophilus Influenza Type B (Hib) | Y | N |
| Varicella (chickenpox) | Y | Y |
| Influenza | N (Only for specific group of children) | Y |
Source: MOH
For more information on the number of doses and age group, we can visit MOH website.
Read Me: Cost Guide To Popular Vaccinations In Singapore
#8 Health Screening And Medical Scans
Under the same MediSave 500 and MediSave 700 scheme, we can also go for health screenings or medical scans capped under the same annual limit of $500 or $700.
The approved screening and scans are as shown below:
| Eligible Screenings | MediSave Withdrawal Limits |
| Screening mammograms for women aged 50 and above | Subjected to MediSave 500 or MediSave 700 limit |
| Selected screening tests for newborns in the outpatient setting: – Hearing test – G6P deficiency screening – Metabolic screening – Thyroid function test |
Subjected to MediSave 500 or MediSave 700 limit |
| Colonoscopy Screenings | MediSave can be used for screening colonoscopies where recommended, subject to the prevailing Table Of Surgical Procedure withdrawal limit for colonoscopy procedures plus $300 per day for associated day surgery charges. |
| Outpatient scans for diagnosis or treatment of a medical condition | Up to $300 per year per patient (Does not apply to plain X-rays or scans that are already claimable under other MediSave schemes such as scans for cancer treatment, scans for chronic disease under the Chronic Disease Management Programme or antenatal scans) |
Source: MOH
| Eligible Scans | MediSave Withdrawal Limits |
| Outpatient MRI, CT scans and other diagnostics for cancer treatment | Up to $600 a year per patient |
| Outpatient scans for diagnosis or treatment of a medical condition | Up to $300 a year per patient Does not apply to plain X-rays or scans that are already claimable under other MediSave schemes such as scans for cancer treatment, scans for chronic disease under the Chronic Disease Management Programme or antenatal scans
|
Source: MOH
#9 Medical And Long-Term Care (Disability) Insurance Premium Payments
Lastly, we can use MediSave for eligible healthcare and disability insurance payments. Depending on the insurance, we can claim from MediSave in full or partially. For MediShield Life, we can pay it in full using our MediSave as it is a mandatory health insurance plan for all Singaporeans.
Currently, MediShield Life provides enough coverage to cover public hospitalisation bills for Class B2 or C wards. However, if we wish to get additional coverage for private hospitalisation or higher public hospitalisation wards, we can buy a MediSave approved Private Integrated Shield Plan (IP). The payment for our IPs is subjected to Additional Withdrawal Limit (AWLs) cap. Depending on our age, we can use from $300 and up to $900 to pay for our IPs.
Likewise, disability insurances such as CareShield Life and ElderShield can also be paid in full using MediSave. Premium payments for supplements on CareShield and ElderShield can only use a maximum of $600 a year from MediSave for each insurer.
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