Health & hospital
MediShield Life
The national basic health insurance that covers every Singaporean and PR for life, including pre-existing conditions.
What it protects
The shock it absorbs.
Large hospital bills from serious illness, surgery, and selected costly outpatient treatments (such as kidney dialysis and approved cancer drugs). It is built to cover the cost of treatment in subsidised Class B2 and C wards in public hospitals, so it absorbs the catastrophic part of a bill rather than every dollar.
Because payouts are pegged to subsidised public-ward charges, MediShield Life leaves a meaningful gap if you choose a private hospital or an unsubsidised ward. That gap is what Integrated Shield Plans are designed to close.
How it works
In Singapore, in practice.
MediShield Life is administered by the CPF Board and is compulsory and universal: every Singapore Citizen and Permanent Resident is covered automatically and for life, regardless of age or health. Pre-existing conditions are covered, which is unusual for health insurance and a deliberate feature of the national scheme.
You pay an annual premium that rises with age, and premiums are fully payable from your MediSave account, so most people never pay cash for it. Claims work on a deductible-plus-co-insurance basis: you pay an initial deductible, then a 10% co-insurance share of the remaining claimable amount, and the scheme pays the rest up to its limits.
Coverage is subject to a claim limit per policy year (currently S$200,000) with no lifetime cap, so it keeps paying year after year for chronic or recurring conditions.
Run the numbers
See it in your own figures.
See the premium and your out-of-pocket share at your age, across every ward and insurer we compare.
Where it sits
Its place in your protection stack.
Protection is built in layers. This is the role MediShield Life plays, and the layers above and below it.
Whole life, personal accident, and general cover, added as priorities allow.
Term life sized to your dependants and outstanding debts.
Critical illness and income protection for your working years.
Integrated Shield Plans and riders for private or as-charged hospital cover.
What every Singaporean has by default: MediShield Life and CareShield Life.
The trade-offs
What it does well, and what to watch.
Good for
- Catastrophic public-hospital bills
- Lifelong, guaranteed coverage
- Pre-existing condition protection
- MediSave-funded premiums
Watch outs
- Payouts are based on subsidised B2/C ward charges, so a private-hospital or Class A bill leaves a large out-of-pocket gap.
- You still pay the deductible and a 10% co-insurance share on every claim.
- Some treatments and non-standard drugs sit outside the claim limits.
- It is a floor, not full coverage; most people layer an Integrated Shield Plan on top.
Who it's for
When this matters most.
- Every Singaporean and PR already has it; there is nothing to buy or apply for.
- Those comfortable being treated in subsidised public-hospital wards who want a low-cost safety net funded entirely from MediSave.
- People with pre-existing conditions who may struggle to get private cover but are still protected under the national scheme.
In the market
What this looks like.
Real Singapore examples, shown to make the type concrete. These are illustrative, not endorsements.
How it connects
Cover that works with this.
Integrated Shield Plan (IP)
A private upgrade that sits on top of MediShield Life so you can be treated in Class A or private-hospital wards.
Full breakdown Health & hospitalIP Co-Payment Rider
An add-on to an Integrated Shield Plan that shrinks the deductible and co-insurance you pay out of pocket on a hospital claim.
Full breakdown Health & hospitalMediSave
Your compulsory CPF medical savings account that pays for premiums and approved healthcare so you do not draw on cash.
Full breakdownSources
Where the facts come from.
- MediShield Life is administered by the CPF Board, with a S$200,000 policy-year claim limit, no lifetime limit, and 10% co-insurance.ConSol/Resources/hospitalisation-2026-06.json (medishieldLife block)
- MediShield Life premiums are fully payable from MediSave at any age, and the scheme covers pre-existing conditions for life.ConSol/Core/CountryConfig/SingaporeConfig.swift (ISPRegulatory.medishieldLifeFullyMedisavePayable, medishieldLifeCoversPreExisting)
- Official scheme reference page (MediShield Life, MOH/CPF).https://www.cpf.gov.sg/member/healthcare-financing/medishield-life
See where MediShield Life fits your own plan.
This is educational, not advice. When you want a detailed look at whether this cover fits your situation, a licensed adviser will map it to your income, CPF, and goals.