The True Cost Of Healthcare In Singapore That Every Singaporean Should Be Aware Of
Ming Fengā
It is cheaper to DIE than to fall sick in Singapore
The above is a phrase all so familiar amongst us Singaporeans.Ā
According to a study by AON, the gross medical inflation rate of Singapore stood at a high 10% in both the year 2017 and 2018.
Both numbers exceeded the global rate, where the annual gross medical inflation rate is at 9.7%.
| Country/ Region | 2018 Medical Trend rate Experienced | 2019 Projected Medical Trend Rate |
|---|---|---|
| Global | 9.7% | 9.6% |
| Canada | 8.5% | 8.5% |
| China | 9.7% | 10.2% |
| Hong Kong | 9.3% | 9.1% |
| India | 8.5% | 9.3% |
| Indonesia | 11.0% | 10.5% |
| Malaysia | 13.4% | 13.6% |
| Phillippines | 13.0% | 13.7% |
| Singapore | 10.0% | 10.1% |
| South Korea | 6.0% | 5.0% |
| Taiwan | 11.5% | 9.1% |
| Thailand | 7.9% | 8.5% |
| Vietnam | 14.5% | 14.2% |
| Australia | 4.0% | 3.3% |
| New Zealand | 8.0% | 7.0% |
Source: Mercer
Most of us Singaporeans grew up knowing that healthcare is expensive, yet, little of us can really put an exact number on those costs and better plan for these unfortunate circumstances.
How expensive is expensive? Enough to wipe out my bank account?
Hospitalisation Bills As A Whole
For a start, we take a look at the average hospital bills that Singaporeans. We derive this number from looking at all the average cost of hospitals in Singapore to give Singaporeans a good range. Do note that we remove hospitals that are more niche in a certain area, such as KK hospital for children and women for better estimation of the general cost.
The chart below shows the average hospital inpatient bill size for public hospitals as of the year 2015. Given our medical cost inflation, each cost needs to be multiplied by 1.1Ā for higher accuracy of today’s cost.
The True Cost Of Singapore’s Medical Bills
Public Hospitals
Cost of Medical Specialties (Public Hospitals)
| Ward Class | Average Cost/ Day | Total Average Bill | Top 10% Patients Paid More Than | Top 5% Patients Paid More Than |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| A (1 bed) | $1,142 - $1,412 | $2,210 - $7,459 | $6,626 - $15,464 | $11,485 - $24,873 |
| B (3-4 beds) | $686 - $1,094 | $2,830 - $7,876 | $6,176 - $18,334 | $10,867 - $28,041 |
| B2 (6-10 beds) | $314 - $439 | $1,178 - $3,380 | $2,354 - $6,494 | $3,434 - $10,389 |
| C (open ward) | $205 - $319 | $1,012 - $2,558 | $1,988 - $5,478 | $2,973 - $8,466 |
Cost of Surgical Specialties (Public Hospitals)
| Ward Class | Average Cost/ Day | Average Total Bill | Top 10% Patients Paid More Than | Top 5% Patients Paid More Than |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| A (1 bed) | $1,372 - $2,788 | $5,044 - $10,541 | $10,114 - $22,290 | $14,923 - $30,292 |
| B1 (3-4 beds) | $1,268 - $2,509 | $4,629 - $9,922 | $10,096 - $20,242 | $15,846 - $26,707 |
| B2 (6-10 beds) | $529 - $760 | $1,824 - $3,393 | $4,358 - $6,962 | $5,845 - $9,819 |
| C (open ward) | $330 - $523 | $1,638 - $3,775 | $3,716 - $8,200 | $5,222 - $12,684 |
*Costs exclude KK hospital and National Heart Centre (NHC) for a more accurate reflection of an average Singaporean adult’s hospitalisation bills.
*Bills for NHC are way higher than the above range
Private Hospitals
Cost of Medical Specialties (Private Hospitals)
| Ward Class | Average Cost/ Day | Average Total Bill | Top 10% Patients Paid More Than | Top 5% Patients Paid More Than |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Private | $1,327 - $5,310 | $3,906 - $24,687 | $7,670 - $38,733 | $9,521 - $73,287 |
Cost of Surgical Specialties (Private Hospitals)
| Ward Class | Average Cost/ Day | Average Total Bill | Top 10% Patients Paid More Than | Top 5% Patients Paid More Than |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Private | $3,340 - $7,053 | $8,109 - $18,993 | $12,626 - $36,147 | $14,749 - $46,194 |
*Costs exclude John Hopkins for a more accurate reflection of an average Singaporean adult’s hospitalisation bills.
Source: Ministry Of Health
*Information above is last updated in 2015 since MOH stopped tracking ward costs from then on, but tracks in terms of conditions instead
TheĀ average hospital inpatient bill size for private is without a doubt more expensive.
Zooming In On The Specifics
Top 5 Reasons Of Hospitalisation For Singaporeans
Singaporeans have a higher chance of getting hospitalised due to these following reasons:
- Accident, poisoning and violence
- Cancer
- Ischaemic heart diseases
- Intestinal infectious diseases
- Pneumonia
Source: Ministry Of Health
From here, we take a look at the breakdown on some of the costs for cancer and ischaemic heart diseases. The two most common specific diseases affecting Singaporeans.
Cancer
Every year, 12.7 million people around the world discover they have cancer. 7.6 million people will die from the disease. Every day, 36 Singaporeans will be told the bad news of them having cancer, making cancer the number one killer in Singapore.
Despite, cancer being the number one killer in Singapore, information on the average cost of treatmentĀ is not easily available online. We can, however, give a good estimation of S$100k-S$200k in terms of cost per year, assuming a patient in the later stage of cancer. The exact cost will ultimately depend on the types of drugs used for the treatment and the procedures.
If one is diagnosed with lungs cancer with complications, the chance of hospitalization is higher. Each stay can last from 9-14 days and cost up to S$16,000 if one chooses A Ward, or S$3,000 for C Ward.
Should one decides to get some of the best private treatment in Singapore, we take a look at Johns Hopkins. The average hospitalization bill for Johns Hopkins is at S$22,357, with 10% of the patients paying S$62,686 and more.
Ischaemic Heart Diseases
Ischaemic heart disease is a condition where blood vessels are narrowed or blocked due to the deposition of cholesterol on their walls.
One such treatment will be theĀ procedure to enlarge a narrowing in a heart vessel with a stent. According to Ministry Of Health’s past records, the cost can range from S$4,087 to S$12,657 for B2 Ward, depending on the hospital.
A Ward can range from S$15,744 to S$35,976 for the same treatment.
Conclusion
The median income of Singaporeans is at S$4,056. Which means if your monthly salary is higher than S$4,056, you are earning higher than half of Singapore’s population.
Assuming, after contribution to CPF, your take home will be at S$3,244 monthly, S$38,928 each year. Assuming zero insurance, MediShield Life or Medisave deduction from your hospital bills. Do you think it is possible to handle those costs we just mentioned?
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