Each month, a bit of your wage disappears into the depths of your MediSave account. As a lot because it hurts to see what’s left of your “take-home pay”, you get the comfort that you need to use MediSave to pay on your medical payments…
… or are you able to?
Nicely, sure, however Medisave can solely be used for sure medical prices and solely as much as sure limits. So don’t cancel your medical insurance simply but!
Right here’s a information to when you’ll be able to and may’t use MediSave, in addition to the MediSave limits that apply in every case.
Abstract: When can you employ MediSave to pay?
MediSave is a nationwide medical financial savings scheme. As any working individual would know, a portion of your revenue will get paid into your MediSave account, which sits alongside your different CPF accounts just like the Bizarre Account and Particular Account.
Learn extra: Your Medisave Account In Singapore: How To Make The Most Of It
MediSave funds will be tapped upon to pay for sure sorts of healthcare prices, specifically:
- Hospitalisation & surgical procedure
- Non-acute hospital stays
- Outpatient remedies
- Continual illness administration
- Well being screenings
- Vaccinations
- Having a child
- Senior care
- MediShield + Built-in Protect premiums
- CareShield + Complement premiums
The catch is that there are strict limits on how a lot you need to use. As well as, the federal government has painstakingly outlined what precisely you’ll be able to and can’t use your MediSave funds on in every class.
1. MediSave limits for hospitalisation & surgical procedure
Sorry, however you can not use your MediSave to pay for that GP go to you made with a purpose to get an MC. If you happen to get hospitalised or must endure day surgical procedure, nonetheless, it is possible for you to to make use of MediSave to pay.
Two sorts of MediSave limits apply: (a) day by day hospital limits (which solely apply to hospital costs excluding surgical procedure) and (b) surgical limits (solely apply to surgical procedure). So for those who get hospitalised and endure surgical procedure, you’ll be able to declare as much as two completely different limits.
(a) MediSave limits for hospital costs
| Kind of hospital keep | MediSave limits for hospital costs |
| Inpatient episodes | $550 for the primary 2 days, $400 per day afterwards |
| Inpatient psychiatric episodes | $150 per day. Most of $5,000 a yr |
| Authorised day surgical procedures | $300 per day |
(b) MediSave limits for surgical procedure
The MediSave limits for surgical procedure rely upon the kind of operation you’re present process. First, you examine this record right here to see which desk your operation falls underneath (look underneath the fourth column). Then, match the desk with the surgical limits under:
| Desk of operations | MediSave limits for surgical procedure |
| 1A / 1B / 1C | $250 / $350 /$450 |
| 2A / 2B / 2C | $600 /$750 /$950 |
| 3A / 3B / 3C | $1,250 /$1,550 /$1,850 |
| 4A / 4B / 4C | $2,150 /$2,600 /$2,850 |
| 5A / 5B / 5C | $3,150 /$3,550 /$3,950 |
| 6A / 6B / 6C | $4,650 /$5,150 /$5,650 |
| 7A / 7B / 7C | $6,200 /$6,900 /$7,550 |
Again to high
2. MediSave limits for non-acute hospital stays
Non-acute hospitals, equivalent to group hospitals, carry out a help perform. They provide sufferers longer-term care or remedy after remedy.
If it’s a must to keep in a non-acute hospital, you may as well use MediSave to pay for the hospital costs, as much as sure limits:
| Non-acute hospital sort | MediSave non-acute hospital limits |
| Authorised group hospitals | $250 per day. Most of $5,000 a yr |
| Authorised convalescent hospitals | $50 per day. Most of $3,000 a yr |
| Authorised day hospitals | $150 per day. Most of $3,000 a yr |
Again to high
3. MediSave limits for outpatient remedy
So, what occurs if in case you have a expensive medical situation equivalent to most cancers, the place the post-hospitalisation remedy can price a bomb?
You would possibly be capable to use MediSave for the next sorts of outpatient (i.e. exterior of hospital) remedy:
| Outpatient remedy | MediSave outpatient limits |
| Renal dialysis remedy | $450 a month |
| Outpatient radiotherapy for most cancers sufferers | $80 per remedy for exterior remedy
$300 per remedy for brachytherapy with exterior radiotherapy $360 per remedy for brachytherapy with out exterior radiotherapy $30 per remedy for superficial x-ray $2,800 per remedy for stereotactic radiotherapy |
| Radiosurgery remedy for most cancers sufferers (Gamma Knife or Novalis formed beam) | As much as $7,500 per remedy |
| Chemotherapy for most cancers sufferers (consists of analgesic medicine and suppressive remedies) | $1,200 per thirty days per affected person |
| MRI scans, CT scans and different diagnostics for most cancers sufferers | $600 per yr per affected person |
| Scans for analysis or remedy of a medical situation | $300 per yr per affected person |
| Anti-retroviral remedy for HIV sufferers | $550 per thirty days per affected person |
| Hyberbaric oxygen remedy | $100 per remedy cycle |
| Intravenous antibiotic remedy | $600 per weekly cycle. As much as $2,400 a yr |
| Long run oxygen remedy and toddler steady optimistic airway stress remedy | $150 per thirty days per affected person |
| Immuno-suppressants for sufferers after organ transplants | $300 per thirty days per affected person |
| Lengthy-term parenteral vitamin | $200 per thirty days |
| Autologous bone marrow transplant for a number of myeloma remedy | $2,800 per yr per affected person |
| Desferrioxamine drug and blood transfusion for thalessaemia | $550 per yr per affected person |
Again to high
4. MediSave limits for persistent illness administration
The MediSave500 scheme permits you to use as much as $500 per yr for outpatient remedies (topic to fifteen% co-payment by the affected person) for sure persistent ailments.
It applies to the next situations underneath the Continual Illness Administration Programme (CDMP):
- Diabetes
- Hypertension
- Lipid issues
- Stroke
- Bronchial asthma
- Continual obstructive pulmonary illness (COPD)
- Schizophrenia
- Main despair
- Bipolar issues
- Dementia
- Osteoarthritis
- Nervousness
- Benign prostatic hyperplasia
- Parkinson’s illness
- Nephrosis / nephritis
- Epilepsy
- Osteoporosis
- Psoriasis
- Rheumatoid arthritis
- Ischaemic coronary heart illness
You would possibly qualify for the MediSave700 scheme, which raises your yearly withdrawal restrict to $700 a yr, for those who:
- Have 2 or extra of the above situations concurrently (i.e. you have got gone for medical visits for at the very least 2 situations inside a yr)
- Have 1 persistent medical situation with issues
The MediSave500 or MediSave700 limits are shared amongst remedy for the above situations and accredited vaccinations and well being screenings, that are coated under.
Again to high
5. MediSave limits for well being screenings
Aside from persistent illness administration, the MediSave 500 / MediSave 700 scheme additionally permits you to use MediSave on chosen well being screenings and vaccinations. You don’t must have a persistent medical situation to make use of it.
Listed here are the MediSave-eligible well being screenings:
- Mammogram screenings (for ladies aged 50 and above) — deducted from MediSave 500 / 700
- Chosen screening assessments for newborns — deducted from MediSave 500 / 700
- Colonoscopy screening (solely the place really helpful) — separate from MediSave 500 / 700; topic to $300 restrict
As you’ll be able to see, most well being screenings (together with your basic complete check-up) must be paid out of pocket and you may’t use MediSave.
That mentioned, well being screenings are an necessary a part of managing healthcare prices, since early intervention is usually cheaper than treating a diseased in superior levels. Learn our information for tips about the right way to maintain your well being screening prices down.
Learn extra: Well being Screening in Singapore — How A lot Does a Complete Well being Screening Value?
Again to high
6. MediSave limits for vaccinations
MediSave 500 / MediSave 700 can be utilized for vaccines underneath the Nationwide Childhood Immunisation Schedule and Nationwide Grownup Immunisation Schedule.
Childhood vaccinations (underneath the Nationwide Childhood Immunisation Schedule):
- Pneumococcal vaccinations (for teenagers under 5)
- HPV (for females aged 9 to 26)
- Hepatitis B
- Measles, Mumps and Rubella (MMR)
- Tuberculosis (BCG)
- Diphtheria, Pertussis and Tetanus (DTaP/Tdap)
- Poliomyelitis
- Haemophilus Influenza Kind B (Hib)
- Varicella
Grownup vaccinations (for goal populations underneath the Nationwide Grownup Immunisation Schedule):
- Influenza (additionally really helpful for sure teams of youngsters)
- Pneumococcal vaccinations
- HPV (for females aged 9 to 26)
- Hepatitis B
- Measles, Mumps and Rubella (MMR)
- Diphtheria, Pertussis & Tetanus (DTaP/Tdap)
- Varicella
Again to high
7. MediSave limits for baby-related bills
Having a child is dear in Singapore, however your MediSave financial savings can defray among the prices. You need to use MediSave to pay for (a) assisted conception and (b) supply prices.
(a) Assisted Conception Procedures (ACP)
For these present process inpatient or outpatient Assisted Conception Procedures (ACP), you pay use the next quantities out of your and/or your partner’s MediSave account:
| ACP cycle | MediSave withdrawal restrict |
| 1st | $6,000 |
| 2nd | $5,000 |
| 3rd and subsequent | $4,000 (capped at $15,000) |
(b) MediSave Maternity Bundle
The MediSave Maternity Bundle permits you to use your MediSave when delivering a child:
| MediSave Matenity Bundle | MediSave withdrawal restrict |
| Day by day hospital restrict | $450 per day |
| Pre-delivery medical bills | $900 |
Again to high
8. Extra MediSave limits for seniors
Beneath the Flexi-MediSave scheme, sufferers aged 60 and above can use as much as $200 per affected person per yr for outpatient medical remedy, accredited vaccination and screenings. You too can use your partner’s MediSave financial savings if she or he can be over 60.
Right here’s the place seniors can use Flexi-MediSave:
- Specialist Outpatient Clinics at public hospitals and nationwide specialty centres
- Polyclinics
- Collaborating Group Well being Help Scheme (CHAS) Medical GP clinics
If you happen to’re over 60, your $200 Flexi-MediSave allowance is along with different limits like MediSave500 or MediSave700.
9. MediSave limits for medical insurance premiums
All Singaporeans are auto-enrolled within the nationwide medical insurance scheme, MediShield Life, the premiums for that are absolutely payable with MediSave.
If you wish to complement your MediShield Life with further personal insurance coverage protection — generally known as Built-in Protect Plans or IPs — you need to use MediSave to pay the personal insurance coverage premiums as much as these Extra Withdrawal Limits:
| Age | Extra Withdrawal Restrict for personal insurance coverage element of IPs |
| 40 and underneath | $300 |
| 41 to 70 | $600 |
| 71 and above | $900 |
IPs can be found from 7 insurers, listed right here:
10. MediSave limits for CareShield Life
The opposite scheme that’s absolutely payable with MediSave is CareShield Life, which is a incapacity revenue insurance coverage. It pays out an allowance for those who develop into disabled — a situation that’s more and more believable with lengthy life expectations.
However, being a nationwide scheme, it’s very fundamental. Similar to with MediShield, you’ll be able to complement your CareShield Life with further protection from a non-public insurer.
CareShield Complement premiums will be paid utilizing MediSave, as much as a restrict of $600 per calendar yr per individual insured.
Learn extra: CareShield Life Complement Comparability: NTUC vs Aviva vs Nice Japanese
So many limits — what ought to we do?
As a result of MediSave has limits, it’s not the best resolution for managing our healthcare prices. You’ll be able to’t predict what sorts of healthcare bills you’ll incur, so chances are you’ll or could not find yourself having to pay a big sum out of pocket.
And once you’re unwell, the very last thing you’ll need to do is have to choose one remedy over one other relying on whether or not it’s MediSave-eligible.
So whilst you’re nonetheless wholesome, the neatest method you need to use MediSave is pay for insurance coverage premiums, particularly medical insurance.
An Built-in Protect Plan permits you to declare the majority of medical prices on the stage of healthcare you want, and never have to fret about depleting your MediSave financial savings. That mentioned, take word {that a} portion of your IP premiums could should be paid in money.
You’ll be able to examine Built-in Protect Plans from all 7 suppliers on MoneySmart, or learn this information to evaluating IPs for those who need assistance selecting one.
Discovered this text helpful? Share it with anybody who would possibly want it.
