Nearly each Singaporean is aware of concerning the significance of well being screenings. In any case, catching a critical ailment too late may imply loss of life or enormous medical payments. However how a lot do you actually learn about well being screenings and the way a lot they price in Singapore? Right here’s the low down.
Value checklist: Well being screening packages in Singapore
Because it seems, the price of well being screenings in Singapore can fluctuate… fairly wildly, really. Listed below are some well being screening costs compiled from a mixture of public hospitals, non-public hospitals and personal clinics.
Healthcare supplier | Well being screening packages | Value |
Central Clinic | Fundamental Package deal to Complete | $48 – $338 |
Raffles Medical | Raffles Fundamental to Raffles Platinum | $74.90 – $10,000+ |
Ng Teng Fong Hospital | Important Package deal to Enhanced A | $88 – $185 |
Singapore Common Hospital | Fundamental to Enhanced Continual Illness Evaluation | $363.80 – $749 |
Mount Alvernia Hospital | Prime/ Premier/ Unique | $695.50 – $1,444.50 |
LifeScan Medical Centre | Wellness to Royal Elite | $218 – $8,453 |
Tan Tock Seng Hospital | Core Screening to Three Excessive Packages | $200 – $530 |
Nationwide College Hospital | Fundamental to Hepatitis B Screening | $260 – $530 |
Sata CommHealth | Lite to Platinum | $275 – $1,390 |
Thomson Wellth Clinic | Lite to Platinum Status Packages | $348 – $6,488 |
Farrer Park Hospital | HealthTrack Common to Premier | $350 – $1,780 |
Healthway Medical | Traditional to Royal Packages | $350 – $4,500 |
Changi Common Hospital | Core, Core 50 Packages | $360 – $380 |
Parkway East Hospital | Display Traditional to Display Status | $468 – $6,498 |
Fullerton Well being | Dwell Fuller Premium to Dwell Fuller Platinum | $500.76 – $1,806.16 |
As you’ll be able to see from this snapshot, a well being screening needn’t essentially be costly. However, cheaper well being screenings are likely to have a lot fewer lab assessments and thus won’t be as efficient at catching illnesses.
Finally, it’s best to take a look at what’s in every bundle earlier than deciding if the assessments are related to your well being issues, and if the value is price it.
Do polyclinics supply well being screenings?
You’ll discover that polyclinics are conspicuously absent from the checklist of well being screening packages above. That’s as a result of polyclinics do NOT supply complete well being screenings — they solely present well being screenings for particular illnesses (e.g. diabetes, hypertension and excessive ldl cholesterol).
So you’ll be able to’t waltz into the closest polyclinic with no signs and ask for a full physique check-up. You’ll be able to, nevertheless, request particular screenings for illnesses you is perhaps vulnerable to, as a result of life-style or genetics.
In the event you’re a Singaporean, you can even get tremendous low-cost well being screenings at GP clinics beneath the Well being Promotion Board’s Display for Life programme. Relying on what card you maintain, you’ll pay not more than $5 for every screening:
Eligibility | Value of well being screening |
Eligible Singapore Residents / CHAS (Inexperienced) | $5 |
CHAS (Blue) / CHAS (Orange) | $2 |
Merdeka Era | $2 |
Pioneer Era | Free |
Once more, these are for particular illnesses solely, not a full-body check-up. Which subsidised well being screenings you’ll be able to go for rely in your age and intercourse:
Age group | Display for Life well being screenings |
25 years & up (feminine) | Cervical most cancers (Pap smear) |
40 years & up | Hypertension, weight problems, diabetes, excessive blood ldl cholesterol, cervical most cancers |
50 years & up | The entire above + breast most cancers, colorectal most cancers |
The charge contains obligatory screening assessments and one follow-up session. Singapore PRs should not eligible for these heavy subsidies, however they’ll get cheaper charges for sure screenings (e.g. $10 for blood ldl cholesterol take a look at) at CHAS clinics.
How a lot do well being screenings price at public hospitals?
So how a lot does it really price to get a complete well being screening that checks for every little thing, not simply 1 or 2 illnesses?
Most Singaporeans have a number of religion in public healthcare, so for necessary procedures like a well being screening, many would favor to go to a public hospital.
Nevertheless, well being screenings should not subsidised as a result of you’ll be able to’t get a referral from a polyclinic or from A&E. So, they’re not essentially cheaper than a personal clinic. Moreover, the costs of well being screening packages (in addition to the element assessments in every well being screening!) fluctuate lots from one public hospital to a different.
Notice: Khoo Teck Puat Hospital and KK Hospital doesn’t supply well being screening packages anymore.
How a lot do well being screenings price at non-public hospitals?
Though non-public hospitals are typically a lot pricier than public hospitals in Singapore, there’s a wide range in costs on the subject of well being screenings. Subsequently, non-public hospital screenings aren’t essentially costlier — it depends upon what assessments you need to embody.
As a normal rule, non-public hospital have a tendency to supply packages with extra exhaustive lists of assessments and screening procedures. That mentioned, fundamental well being screening packages do exist (and at pretty aggressive costs too).
How a lot do well being screenings price at non-public clinics?
In the event you thought there was a number of value variation among the many hospitals, wait until you see what it’s like with the clinics. As a result of intense competitors, it’s potential to search out tremendous low-cost well being screening packages (beneath $50!) at a clinic. On the similar time, costs can even go as much as $300.
Right here’s a small sampling of clinics in Singapore to indicate you the variation in costs:
Which is the most affordable well being screening in Singapore?
Our temporary survey of the well being screening choices in Singapore reveals that there’s a large vary of costs AND enormous variations in what the packages entail.
As we’ve proven, non-public does NOT essentially imply costlier than public on the subject of well being screening costs.
The most cost effective well being screening we discovered turned out to be the $48 Fundamental Package deal at Central Clinic.
However clinics are usually much less recognised than large model names like Raffles Medical and Tan Tock Seng Hospital, so ensure you’re comfy with that. However, you may get extra personalised service if it’s with, say, your loved ones physician.
Typically, the extra assessments a bundle has, the costlier it’s. Supplied you’re nonetheless younger and wholesome, and never genetically predisposed to sure issues, chances are you’ll need to go for one of many tremendous fundamental well being screenings with out all of the bells and whistles.
Nevertheless, you’ll most likely need to focus on the choices together with your common physician earlier than you decide to a screening, simply in case there’s one thing you didn’t assume to look out for.
Are you able to pay for well being screenings with Medisave?
As you’ll be able to see, going for a complete well being screening will not be low-cost. Sadly, you’ll be able to’t offset normal well being screenings with Medisave.
Medisave can solely be used for a restricted vary of particular screenings, reminiscent of mammograms (just for girls aged 50 and up).
If you have already got a continual illness like diabetes or hypertension, you may be capable to make claims for screening as a part of outpatient therapy.
Are you able to declare the charges out of your medical insurance?
Though Built-in Defend Plans are important for dealing with healthcare prices in Singapore, your common well being screenings are usually not lined.
Nevertheless, sure medical insurance plans do supply rewards for going for normal well being screenings.
For instance, when you’re an AIA policyholder enrolled within the AIA Vitality programme, you’ll be able to earn factors for going to eligible screenings. You’ll be able to redeem your factors for reductions in your insurance coverage premiums.
In the meantime, NTUC IncomeShield policyholders can get discounted well being screenings at their companions. You’ll be able to apply for this medical insurance plan right here.
The favored AXA Defend doesn’t supply a particular well being screening profit, nevertheless it does supply policyholders a subsidised GP session charge which can assist together with your healthcare prices.
What goes right into a fundamental well being screening bundle?
Well being screenings can both be particular or normal. In the event you suspect or are in danger for a particular ailment (say a hereditary illness), most clinics and hospitals have a full checklist of screening procedures for numerous illnesses which you’ll be able to choose and select from.
However when you’ve acquired nothing particularly in thoughts, you’ll be able to go for a normal well being screening, typically often called a complete well being screening. This includes a bodily check-up and a number of other medical assessments to display for widespread circumstances reminiscent of diabetes, hypertension and excessive ldl cholesterol.
Each fundamental well being screening bundle ought to entail these 4 parts, at minimal.
- Medical well being evaluation: A chat together with your physician to evaluate your medical historical past and life-style and determine any potential dangers you might need.
- Bodily examination: The physician ought to take your peak and weight, measure your BMI and verify your imaginative and prescient.
- Blood glucose take a look at: A blood pattern is taken after fasting, to check for diabetes.
- Ldl cholesterol (lipid) take a look at: A take a look at for top ldl cholesterol and heart-related illnesses, taken after fasting.
Particular person hospitals could supply different medical assessments of their fundamental well being screening packages. So other than checking the value, you additionally must know what precisely is within the bundle. Widespread add-ons embody…
- Blood strain take a look at: The physician takes your blood strain to verify for hypertension (hypertension).
- Urine evaluation: Your pee is examined as an indicator of your total well being and correct kidney operate.
- Full blood rely: A blood pattern is examined to find out you probably have anaemia.
- ECG (electrocardiogram): Utilizing electrodes positioned in your pores and skin, this take a look at information your coronary heart exercise and checks for coronary heart circumstances.
Some hospitals/clinics will even allow you to select some add-ons to your bundle at a charge, which it’s best to take into account if there are specific circumstances you might be apprehensive about or predisposed to.
How typically must you go for a well being screening?
Going for well being screenings is necessary as you’ll need to detect illnesses as quickly as potential — early detection usually makes therapy simpler.
The need of a complete well being screening actually depends upon your age, well being and household historical past. When doubtful, ask your physician what he would suggest.
While you’re younger, you received’t must endure it each single yr. Actually, sure forms of screening like mammograms and x-rays can really be dangerous and shouldn’t be overdone.
Nevertheless, after you attain a sure age — and this threshold varies from individual to individual — annual complete well being screenings are a good suggestion. Your physician ought to be capable to advise you on what to get screened for and at what age relying in your well being and household historical past.
Don’t be too delay by the costs of screening packages. Not going for a screening and falling sick because of this may find yourself costing you much more in the long term, so once you attain a sure age you undoubtedly need to take into account going for a complete well being screening extra repeatedly.
Discovered this text helpful? Share it with your mates!