What Is Medisave?
Medisave is the medical savings component of Singapore's Central Provident Fund (CPF). Working Singaporeans and employers contribute a percentage of monthly wages into the Medisave account. The funds can be used to pay for hospitalisation, day surgery, specific outpatient treatments, and approved health screening. As of 2025, the Medisave contribution rate is 8–10.5% of monthly wages depending on age.
What Can Medisave Be Used For?
| Category | What's Covered | Withdrawal Limit |
|---|---|---|
| Hospitalisation (inpatient) | All hospitalisation at restructured and private hospitals; ward-class limits apply | Up to daily ward limits |
| Day Surgery | Approved procedures at Medisave-accredited day surgery centres | Up to procedure-specific limits |
| Specialist outpatient (CDMP) | Chronic diseases: diabetes, hypertension, asthma, COPD, etc. via CDMP programme | $500/year for CDMP conditions |
| Outpatient investigations (CDMP) | Lab tests, X-rays for CDMP-covered conditions | Within CDMP $500 limit |
| Approved cancer drugs | Outpatient chemotherapy; specific drug list | Up to $3,000/year (basic) |
| CT/MRI scans | When ordered by doctor and medically necessary | Specific limits per scan |
| Approved health screenings | Mammogram, cervical smear, colorectal screening (colonoscopy/FIT), diabetic eye/foot screening | Up to $500/year (Medisave500) |
| Maternity/delivery | Normal and surgical delivery costs | $900–$2,550 per delivery |
What Medisave CANNOT Be Used For
- General outpatient GP visits (unless under CDMP for chronic disease)
- Cosmetic or aesthetic procedures
- Dental (except hospitalisation for dental surgery)
- Fertility treatment (IVF/IUI) — separate Medisave withdrawal for ART up to $6,000/cycle
- Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) outpatient
- Outpatient psychiatric consultations (specific conditions only)
- Medications bought at a pharmacy without hospitalisation (unless CDMP)
Maximising Your Medisave for Specialist Surgery
For Medisave-covered surgeries (spine, hernia, bariatric, vascular, GI procedures, etc.), the Medisave withdrawal is applied to the total bill. Combined with your Integrated Shield Plan (IP), you typically pay only the annual deductible and co-insurance — sometimes just $1,000–$5,000 out-of-pocket on a $20,000+ surgery bill.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes. You can use Medisave from your own account and immediate family members' accounts (spouse, children, parents, siblings). For hospitalisation, you can draw from up to three Medisave accounts. Specific rules apply to who can use whose Medisave for which purpose — check MOH's website for the current approved user list.
Log in to your CPF account at cpf.gov.sg or via the CPF Mobile app using Singpass. Your Medisave account balance and contribution history are shown under 'My Statement'.
Yes, Medisave can be used for private hospital stays, but there are per-day withdrawal limits based on ward type. For private hospitalisation, your Integrated Shield Plan (IP) is the more significant payer — Medisave typically covers a smaller fraction of a high private hospital bill. Using both Medisave and IP together minimises out-of-pocket costs.