What is MediShield Life?

MediShield Life is a new health insurance scheme which will take effect on the 1st of November 2015 to replace MediShield.

According to the Ministry of Health, the objectives of MediShield Life are as follows:

• To offer better protection and higher payouts, so that patients fork out less from their Medisave accounts and cash for hefty hospital bills
• To offer protection for all Singapore citizens and Permanent Residents, including the elderly and those who have pre-existing conditions
• To offer protection for life.

What does that mean? 

MediShield Life provides universal cover, ensures that all Singaporeans and Permanent Residents have access to basic healthcare, and - the best part - it covers no matter what your current condition.

​With better coverage, premiums for MediShield Life would be higher than MediShield.

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What is MediShield?

MediShield was a basic health insurance, administered by the Central Provident Fund (CPF) Board, which helped to pay for large hospital bills and costly outpatient treatments, such as dialysis and chemotherapy for cancer

Traditionally, MediShield offered coverage that had been right-sized for subsidised treatment in Class B2/C wards of public hospitals.

Traditionally, MediShield offered coverage that had been right-sized for subsidised treatment in Class B2/C wards of public hospitals.

Those who opted to stay in better wards – that is, B1 or A class wards – or chose to get treated in private hospitals were still covered by MediShield. However, due to the significantly lower or absence of government subsidies, individuals who opted for the higher class wards or private hospitals had to either

• pay a higher proportion of their bill from their MediSave accounts, and/or
• pay a higher proportion of their bill in cash, or
• tap into their private insurance coverage if they had one.

Role of MediShield in MediShield Life

MediShield was replaced by MediShield Life on the 1st of November, 2015.

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Next: MediShield Life Premiums