Insurance can be a  really  intimidating topic. 
 I mean, I grew up thinking that insurance was a money-sucking machine and thought that it would be better to keep it out of my life. 
 And as I got older and realised the importance of it, this newfound information came tumbling into my brain like an avalanche. 
 
 There were just so many new terms and different types of policies to comprehend. 
 And it’s easy to not know where to start. 
 Source: Tenor 
 Those who have started looking into their insurance needs would know that we should  only be covered for  what we need . 
 And when it comes to our needs,  health insurance  is something that would always be mentioned as one of the key insurance policies to have. 
 Given the number of mandatory insurance policies that we have, it is easy to lose track of what we are covered. 
 And if you’re a confused soul like me… 
 This article is a  quick guide  to the health insurance coverage you have (under national schemes), and also coverage that you might want to look into. 
 Disclaimer: The Information provided by Seedly does not constitute an offer or solicitation to buy or sell any insurance product(s). It does not take into account the specific objectives or particular needs of any person. We strongly advise you to seek advice from a licensed insurance professional before purchasing any insurance products and/or services. 
 
 TL;DR: All You Need To Know About Health Insurance: Types of Health Insurance and What They Cover 
 Health insurance is the type of insurance that  helps with medical expenses  when one becomes ill, injured or disabled. 
 It can provide coverage in different forms, such as covering your medical or hospital bills, providing an income when you’re hospitalised or when you’re not fit for work. 
 
 
 
 Type of Health Insurance Coverage Premiums Payable By 
 
 
 
 
 MediShield Life Inpatient and outpatient treatments (for up to Class B2/C wards in public hospital) 
 
Includes pre-existing conditions Fully payable via MediSave 
 
Family members can also pay premium on behalf  
 
 
 Integrated Shield Plan Enhanced coverage for inpatient and outpatient treatments (Private hospitals, A/B1 ward public hospitals) 
 
Might exclude pre-existing conditions MediSave can be used, subjected to Additional Withdrawal Limits (AWLs) 
 
 
 CareShield Life Lifetime payout for severe disability, including individuals with pre-existing severe disabilities  Fully payable via MediSave 
 
 
 Disability Income Insurance Fixed sum each month to replace loss of income during active employment years Payable by cash 
 
 
 Critical Illness (CI) Insurance Lump-sum payout for 37 severe-stage medical conditions Payable by cash 
 
 
 Hospital Cash Insurance Includes cash benefits for day surgery, recuperation, overseas hospitalisation or medical evacuation etc. Payable by cash 
 
 
 

 
 MediShield Life 
 
 First up, we have MediShield Life. 
 MediShield Life is a  basic health insurance plan , which all  Singaporeans and Singaporean PRs   are automatically enrolled in . 
 It helps you to pay for large medical bills and even certain types of outpatient treatment like dialysis or chemotherapy. 
 At a glance, MediShield Life offers: 
 
 Better protection and higher payouts, so you pass less MediSave or cash 
 Lifetime protection including pre-existing conditions 
 
 What Am I Covered Under MediShield Life? 
 MediShield Life covers both inpatient and outpatient treatments, with its benefits as follows: 
 
 
 
 
 Inpatient/Day Surgery Claim Limits 
 
 
 
 
 Daily Ward and Treatment Charges(1) 
 
 
 - Normal ward $800 per day* 
 
 
 - Intensive care unit ward $2,200 per day* 
 
 
 * An additional claim limit of $200 per day applies for the first two inpatient days 
 
 
 - Psychiatric (up to 60 days per policy year) $160 per day 
 
 
 - Community hospital (Rehabilitative)(2) $350 per day 
 
 
 - Community hospital (Sub-acute)(2) $430 per day 
 
 
 - Inpatient palliative care service (general) $250 per day 
 
 
 - Inpatient palliative care service (specialised) $350 per day 
 
 
 Surgical procedures Surgical procedures A B C 
 
 
 - Table 1 A/B/C (less complex procedures) $240 $340 $340 
 
 
 - Table 2 A/B/C $580 $760 $760 
 
 
 - Table 3 A/B/C $1,060 $1,160 $1,280 
 
 
 - Table 4 A/B/C $1,540 $1,580 $1,640 
 
 
 - Table 5 A/B/C $1,800 $2,180 $2,180 
 
 
 - Table 6 A/B/C $2,360 $2,360 $2,360 
 
 
 - Table 7 A/B/C $2,600 $2,600 $2,600 
 
 
 Implants $7,000 per treatment 
 
 
 Radiosurgery, including Proton Beam Therapy – Category 4(3) $10,000 per treatment course 
 
 
 Continuation of autologous bone marrow transplant treatment for multiple myeloma $6,000 per treatment 
 
 
 
 
 Source: Ministry of Health (MOH) 
 (1) Includes meal charges, prescriptions, professional charges, investigations and other miscellaneous charges 
 (2) Claimable only upon referral from a hospital after an inpatient admission or from a public hospital’s emergency department for further medical treatment. 
 (3) Refer to the MOH website for approved indications for use of Proton Beam Therapy 
 
 
 
 
 
 Outpatient Treatment Claim Limits 
 
 
 
 
 Cancer drug treatment(1) $200 - $9,600 per month, depending on cancer drug treatment1 
 
 
 Cancer drug services $3,600 per year 
 
 
 Radiotherapy for cancer ç 
 
 
 - External (except Hemi-body) $300 per treatment 
 
 
 - Brachytherapy $500 per treatment 
 
 
 - Hemi-body $900 per treatment 
 
 
 - Stereotactic $1,800 per treatment 
 
 
 - Proton Beam Therapy - Category 1 $300 per treatment 
 
 
 - Proton Beam Therapy - Category 2 $500 per treatment 
 
 
 - Proton Beam Therapy - Category 3 $1,800 per treatment 
 
 
 Kidney Dialysis $1,100 per month 
 
 
 Immunosuppressants for organ transplant $550 per month 
 
 
 Erythropoietin for chronic kidney failure $200 per month 
 
 
 Long-term parenteral nutrition $1,700 per month 
 
 
 
 
 Source: MOH 
(1)Refer to the Cancer Drug List on the MOH website for the applicable claim limit. 
 MediShield Life mainly serves as basic health insurance to help Singaporeans defray medical costs. 
 For instance, its payouts would mostly cover the cost of  Class B2 or C wards of public hospitals . 
 However, some might prefer to ensure less out-of-pocket expenses when the need arises. 
 To enjoy greater flexibility in terms of 
 
 The types of hospital ward you can stay in 
 The types of treatment 
 Annual coverage limits 
 
 You may want to opt for an Integrated Shield Plan as an add-on to enhance your medical coverage. 
 How Do I Pay for the Premiums of MediShield Life? 
 
 The premiums of MediShield Life are  fully payable via MediSave . 
 Family members such as spouse, parent, child, sibling or grandchild with sufficient MediSave balance can also pay for your MediShield Life coverage. 
 Integrated Shield Plans 
 Source: Ministry of Health 
 An  Integrated Shield Plan  is an ‘ upgrade ‘ of your MediShield Life, where they are offered by private insurers and provides additional medical coverage. 
 Depending on the  type of Integrated Shield Plan  that is chosen, the  protection can be enhanced  to provide coverage for areas such as  hospitalisation benefits ,  claim limits and coverage for private hospitals and public hospitals (A or B1 wards) . 
 With the increase in coverage, one can expect the premiums for Integrated Shield Plan to be much higher as compared to MediShield Life. 
  What Am I Covered Under an Integrated Shield Plan? 
 Here’s a quick overview of the differences between MediShield Life and an Integrated Shield Plan: 
 
 
 
   MediShield Life Integrated Shield Plan 
 
 
 
 
 Coverage For  Public hospital (B2 or C wards) Private Hospitals 
 
 
 Ward Choice Public Hospital B2 or C ward Private Hospitals 
 
Public Hospital 
-A ward 
-B1 ward 
-B2 ward 
-C ward 
 
 
 Policy Annual Claim Limit Up to $150,000 Up to $2,000,000 
 
 
 Amount Payable Deductibles, co-insurance, expenses that exceed the coverage limit Deductibles, co-insurance, expenses that exceed the coverage limit 
 
 
 Additional Coverage - Includes coverage for areas such as pre- and post-hospitalisation treatment, and emergency overseas treatment  
 
 
 P - Includes coverage for areas such as pre- and post-hospitalisation treatment, and emergency overseas treatment  
 
 
 

 However, while MediShield Life covers pre-existing conditions, Integrated Shield Plan policies might only be accepted if the individual is healthy. 
 This is depending on the insurer, and applications might be  either modified or rejected  if an individual has pre-existing conditions. 
 As such, it is recommended to  not switch plans  if your current plan covers your pre-existing condition. 
 How Do I Pay for the Premiums of Integrated Shield Plans? 
 
 There are  Additional Withdrawal Limits (AWLs)  for using MediSave to pay for Integrated Shield Plans. 
 The AWLs is as follows: 
 
 $300 if you are 40 years old or younger on your next birthday. 
 $600 if you are 41 to 70 years old on your next birthday. 
 $900 if you are 71 years or older on your next birthday 
 
 Each insured person can only have one Integrated Shield Plan paid with MediSave. 
 CareShield Life 
 
 Another national health insurance scheme is  Careshield Life . 
 Instead of providing coverage for medical bills, CareShield Life focuses on providing support for Singaporeans in an event of  severe disability . 
 This  includes  individuals who have pre-existing severe disabilities before this scheme was implemented. 
  What Am I Covered Under CareShield Life? 
 CareShield Life offers a  lifetime payout  (which increases over time) as long as you are severely disabled. 
 Severe disability is defined as needing assistance in  at least three  of these activities of daily living (ADLs): 
 
 eating 
 getting dressed 
 using the toilet 
 bathing 
 moving 
 walking around, and 
 getting from the bed to a chair or vice versa 
 
 Individuals born later than 1980 will automatically opt into this scheme. 
 For those born in 1979 and earlier, the current Eldershield will remain in force, or individuals can choose to join CareShield Life from 2021 onwards. 
 The  monthly payout begins at $600  in 2020 and increases by 2% for the first 5 years. 
 
 
 
 
 Year Monthly Payouts 
 
 
 
 
 2020 S$600 
 
 
 2021 S$612 
 
 
 2022 S$624 
 
 
 2023 S$637 
 
 
 2024 S$649 
 
 
 2025 S$662 
 
 
 
 
 Source:  Ministry Of Health 
 
 Similar to Integrated Shield Plans for MediShield Life, there is also an ‘ upsize ‘ option when it comes to CareShield Life. 
 You can choose to increase your payouts by up to five times with a  CareShield Life supplement . 
 How Do I Pay for the Premiums of CareShield Life? 
 
 The premiums of CareShield Life are  fully payable via MediSave . 
 Premiums begin from  age 30 to 67 . 
 They currently start at  $206  for male and  $253  for female — starting at age 30 for both, and will increase at a rate of  2% a year  for the first 5 years. 
 Anyone with a  severe disability   at the joining age of 30  has to pay only the  first premium  in order to qualify for lifetime payouts. 
 Disability Income Insurance 
 
 Payouts for CareShield Life kicks off when there is a severe disability, and focuses more on the needs of long-term care. 
 On the other hand,  Disability Income insurance  aims to provide coverage for the loss of income from the inability to work. 
 In short, it serves as an income replacement that helps you cover your active employment years. 
 Disability Income insurance can provide payouts as long as the disability affects the performance of your duties at work. 
 For instance, a singer who suffers an injury on his/her voice might not meet the criteria for CareShield Life, but would be able to make claims under this type of policy. 
 What Am I Covered Under Disability Income Insurance? 
 Disability Income insurance pays a fixed amount each month to replace the income that is lost, and it pays  up to 80%  of your monthly average salary. 
 This monthly income may be paid for up to 5 or 10 years, or until 55, 60 or 65. 
 Payouts usually stop or are reduced when you’re fit for work again. 
 Do note that the definition of ‘disability’ varies according to the insurer, so be sure to clarify beforehand. 
 How Do I Pay for the Premiums of Disability Income Insurance? 
 
 Premiums are fully payable by  cash . 
 Critical Illness Insurance 
 
 Almost  1 in 4 people  may develop cancer in their lifetime. 
 In an unfortunate event where such news had to be dealt with, the least we would want to worry about is the  medical treatment costs . 
 According to  LIA , there are 37 severe-stage medical conditions that are defined as  Critical Illness . 
 This includes major cancers, heart attack or stroke. 
 What Am I Covered Under Critical Illness Insurance? 
 Critical Illness (CI) Insurance  plans are in place to provide  lump-sum payouts   when a major illness is diagnosed , such as cancer. 
 These plans exist in different forms – they can be standalone plans or can be purchased as a rider of your  life insurance  policy. 
 Both the coverage and payouts would differ according to the insurer and type of policy, with insurers covering multi-stage CIs or pre-existing conditions. 
 However, it is required to meet the policy’s definition in order to receive payouts. 
 Regular CIs usually cover illnesses that are diagnosed at late stages 
 As such, there is also an option to purchase an  Early Critical Illness (ECI)  policy for individuals who wish to be covered during the early stages as well. 
 There is also an option to purchase  cancer insurance , which as its name suggests, provides a more holistic coverage in terms of cancer. 
 How Do I Pay for the Premiums of Critical Illness Insurance? 
 
 Premiums are fully payable by  cash . 
 Hospital Cash Insurance 
 
 Last but not least, we have  hospital cash insurance . 
 As its name suggests, Hospital Cash Insurance offers cash benefits when you are admitted to the hospital. 
 What Am I Covered Under Hospital Cash Insurance? 
 Hospital cash insurance aims to alleviate financial worries during hospitalisation, and typically offers  daily hospital cash payouts . 
 Besides having MediShield Life which might have covered inpatient and outpatient treatments, hospital cash insurance can help cushion the financial worry of additional expenses incurred from hospital stays. 
 The extent of coverage also varies according to plan, where coverage may include cash benefits for procedures such as day surgery, recuperation, or overseas hospitalisation or medical evacuation. 
 How Do I Pay for the Premiums of Hospital Cash Insurance? 
 
 Premiums are fully payable by  cash . 
 Types of Health Insurance and What They Cover: Should I Increase My Coverage? 
 
 In a society where we constantly face high stress and a lack of sleep, our health is something we tend to take for granted. 
 Having sufficient health insurance coverage is important as it can create a safety net without having our life savings taking a toll if our health were to go south. 
 That being said, we should always ensure that we are getting  sufficient coverage for the right reasons at the lowest cost . 
 In addition, besides getting properly insured, another important (and often neglected part) for us to remember to go for  regular health checks . 

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