MediShield Life Explained: What It Covers, What It Does Not, and What You Need to Add
Last reviewed: June 2026
Quick Answer
MediShield Life is Singapore's mandatory basic health insurance, administered by the CPF Board and paid via Medisave premiums. It covers large subsidised hospital bills in Class B2 and C wards, but not private hospital or Class A and B1 care. Many residents add an Integrated Shield Plan for wider coverage.
Rates as of 2026. Verify with official sources before filing.
What Is MediShield Life?
In short, MediShield Life covers large subsidised hospital bills in Class B2 and C wards but not private hospital or Class A and B1 care, which is why many residents add an Integrated Shield Plan for wider coverage. MediShield Life is Singapore's mandatory basic health insurance scheme, administered by the CPF Board. It became mandatory for all Singapore Citizens and Permanent Residents in November 2015. Premiums are deducted automatically from the Medisave account of each insured person. No one can opt out.
The scheme replaced MediShield in 2015 with two key improvements: lifetime coverage (MediShield previously lapsed at age 90) and compulsory coverage of all Citizens and PRs regardless of pre-existing conditions. Those who were previously not covered due to pre-existing conditions were included under MediShield Life with no exclusions.
Use the MediShield Life Calculator to estimate your annual premium based on your age and citizenship status.
What Does MediShield Life Cover?
MediShield Life covers large hospitalisation bills and a defined set of outpatient treatments. The scheme is calibrated to cover subsidised treatment costs at restructured hospitals in Class B2 and C wards. Specifically, it covers:
- Inpatient treatment (hospital stays) at subsidised Class B2 and C wards at restructured hospitals
- Day surgeries carried out at approved day surgery centres
- Chemotherapy (including oral chemotherapy) and immunotherapy for cancer
- Radiotherapy for cancer treatment
- Kidney dialysis (haemodialysis and peritoneal dialysis)
- Immunosuppressants for organ transplant patients
- Erythropoietin for end-stage renal failure
For each covered bill, MediShield Life pays after the deductible is met and up to the claim limits defined in the scheme. The policyholder pays the deductible, the co-insurance (a percentage of the bill above the deductible), and any amount above the claim limits.
MediShield Life also does not pay a lump sum on diagnosis of a serious condition, which is a separate gap that private critical illness cover beyond MediShield is designed to fill, covering lost income and extra costs during treatment.
What Does MediShield Life Not Cover?
Understanding the exclusions is as important as understanding the coverage. MediShield Life does not cover:
- Private hospital treatment of any kind
- Class A and Class B1 ward treatment unless an Integrated Shield Plan is held
- General outpatient GP consultations and specialist visits
- Dental treatment
- Cosmetic treatment and non-medically necessary procedures
- Bills below the annual deductible amount
- Treatment outside Singapore in most circumstances
- Maternity and delivery costs beyond a specific benefit limit
- Congenital conditions (for some cases, depending on policy terms)
| Treatment type | Covered by MediShield Life |
|---|---|
| Class C ward at restructured hospital (subsidised) | Yes |
| Class B2 ward at restructured hospital (subsidised) | Yes |
| Class B1 ward at restructured hospital | No (need IP) |
| Class A ward at restructured hospital | No (need IP) |
| Private hospital | No (need IP) |
| Cancer outpatient chemotherapy | Yes |
| Kidney dialysis | Yes |
| GP outpatient consultation | No |
| Specialist outpatient (non-cancer) | No |
The Deductible and Co-Insurance
MediShield Life uses a deductible and co-insurance structure. The deductible is the amount you pay from your own funds (Medisave or cash) before MediShield Life starts paying. It is an annual deductible, not per-admission. The amount varies by ward class.
After the deductible is met, MediShield Life pays a percentage of the remaining bill (typically 80 to 90 percent) up to the claim limits for each item. The remaining percentage (the co-insurance) is your responsibility. Medisave can be used to pay both the deductible and co-insurance up to Medisave withdrawal limits.
Claim limits are the maximum amounts MediShield Life pays for each type of treatment (e.g., daily ward and treatment charges, surgical procedures). Bills above these limits are your responsibility. An Integrated Shield Plan can effectively raise or remove these limits for the ward class it covers.
What an Integrated Shield Plan Adds
An Integrated Shield Plan combines MediShield Life with a private insurance layer from one of six approved insurers: AIA, Aviva (NTUC Income), AXA, Great Eastern, Prudential, or Raffles Health Insurance. The private layer extends coverage in the direction the policyholder chooses: Class B1, Class A, or private hospital.
An IP does three things that MediShield Life alone cannot do:
- Extends coverage to higher ward classes and private hospitals, up to the plan limit
- May reduce or eliminate the deductible for covered treatments (with a rider, subject to the minimum 5 percent co-payment rule)
- May cover treatments that exceed MediShield Life claim limits
IP premiums are partly payable from Medisave up to age-based Additional Withdrawal Limits. The rider (which covers co-insurance and deductibles) must be paid in cash. Since March 2019, all new IP riders must include a minimum 5 percent co-payment to reduce over-treatment incentives.
Sources
CPF Board MediShield Life scheme details and premium tables: cpf.gov.sg. MOH Singapore MediShield Life claim limits and deductibles: moh.gov.sg. MAS Integrated Shield Plans comparison: moneysense.gov.sg.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is MediShield Life and who is covered?
MediShield Life is a mandatory basic health insurance scheme administered by the CPF Board. All Singapore Citizens and Permanent Residents are automatically covered. It provides protection against large hospitalisation bills and selected outpatient treatments. Premiums are deducted from your Medisave account.
What does MediShield Life not cover?
MediShield Life does not cover private hospital treatment, Class A or B1 wards without an Integrated Shield Plan, general outpatient GP and specialist consultations, treatments below the annual deductible threshold, dental treatment, and most cosmetic or non-medically necessary procedures.
What is the MediShield Life deductible?
The deductible is the amount you pay out of pocket before MediShield Life starts to pay. It varies by ward class. For Class C wards the deductible is lower than for Class B2. After the deductible, MediShield Life covers 80 to 90 percent of the remaining bill up to claim limits, with co-insurance making up the rest.
Do I need an Integrated Shield Plan if I have MediShield Life?
It depends on your preferences. If you are willing to be treated in a subsidised Class B2 or C ward, MediShield Life provides meaningful baseline coverage. If you want access to private hospitals, Class A or B1 wards, or a pre-assigned doctor, an Integrated Shield Plan provides the extension needed.
What does the 5 percent co-payment rule on IP riders mean?
Since March 2019, all new Integrated Shield Plan riders must include a minimum 5 percent co-payment by the policyholder. This was introduced to reduce over-treatment and over-claiming. It means that even with a full IP rider, you are responsible for at least 5 percent of your hospital bill.
For the health side of your planning, the free calculators at HealthCalcAsia are a useful companion.