CPF MediSave: How to Use It for Medical Expenses

MediSave is a national medical savings scheme that carves out 8–10.5% of your monthly CPF contributions (depending on age) into a personal account reserved for healthcare. In 2026, the Basic Healthcare Sum (BHS) — the savings target for MediSave — is $75,500. Once you hit that ceiling, excess contributions flow into your other CPF accounts. Below is how MediSave actually pays for care, from limits to claim steps.

What MediSave Covers

MediSave can be used for hospitalisation, day surgery, and certain outpatient treatments for yourself or an immediate family member (spouse, children, parents, grandparents). The gamut spans:

• Inpatient stays (acute and community hospitals)
• Day surgery (e.g. cataract removal, colonoscopy)
• Radiotherapy, chemotherapy, dialysis, and renal transplant
• Maternity charges (pre-delivery and delivery, up to set limits)
• Selected outpatient scans (MRI, CT) and chronic disease management
• Vaccinations (e.g. HPV, pneumococcal, influenza) under national schedules

No deductibles or co‑insurance – the claim is deducted directly from your MediSave balance.

2026 Withdrawal Limits at a Glance

Claimable amounts are capped per procedure or per day, not by total bill. Key limits for common services:

Service	Withdrawal Limit
Acute hospital daily ward charges	$550/day
ICU / community hospital daily charges	$700/day
Day surgery (e.g. colonoscopy with polypectomy, Grade 3A)	Up to $1,250
Cataract surgery (unilateral, outpatient)	$2,500 per eye
Coronary artery bypass (inpatient, Table 7C)	Up to $9,000
External beam radiotherapy	$80 per treatment session
Chemotherapy (per cycle)	$1,200 per 7‑day cycle
MRI / CT scan (outpatient)	$300 per scan
Chronic disease outpatient (MediSave500/700 scheme)	$700 per year for complex conditions, $500 for standard conditions

For surgical procedures, limits follow MOH’s Table of Surgical Procedures (TOSP). They range from $250 (Table 1A, e.g. simple biopsy) to $9,000 (Table 7C, e.g. major heart surgery). Private hospitals may claim only up to the prevailing TOSP limit; Medisave does not cover private surgeon fees above the cap.

How Claims Reach Your Account

Inpatient and day surgery: The hospital or clinic submits an electronic claim directly to CPF Board after discharge. You sign a Medisave Authorisation Form before treatment. No reimbursement paperwork is needed; the approved amount is deducted from your MediSave and the rest billed to you.

Outpatient and chronic care: Keep original itemised receipts. Submit a claim via the My CPF mobile app (“Healthcare” > “Submit outpatient claim”) or through your healthcare provider if they offer e‑filing. Processing takes 7 working days. You can claim up to 5 years back.

For treatments costing more than your MediSave balance, you can top up using cash or a MediSave‑approved Integrated Shield Plan rider, then later claim from your own or a family member’s Medisave.

Chronic Disease Management: MediSave500/700

If you’re diagnosed with one or more of 20 chronic conditions (diabetes, hypertension, asthma, etc.), you can withdraw from Medisave for outpatient treatment. The 2026 annual cap is:

• $500 for a single simple condition
• $700 for a single complex condition or for multiple conditions

Each claim must include a doctor‑certified diagnosis and is subject to a 15% co‑payment — you pay 15% of the approved claim in cash; MediSave covers the remaining 85%. The scheme resets every calendar year.

Rules That Prevent Over‑Withdrawal

• You cannot drain your Medisave below the MediSave Minimum Sum ($5,000) at any point, except for selected medical conditions.
• Withdrawals for a single inpatient episode cannot exceed the total allowable limits for that procedure and ward class.
• You cannot use Medisave for non‑approved items like aesthetic surgery, private‑ward‑only top‑ups, or treatments performed outside Singapore (except emergency care in certain situations).

Always check the latest MOH Fee Benchmarks before committing to a private procedure — your coverage may be less than expected.

FAQ

Can I use my Medisave to pay for a relative’s surgery? Yes. You can pay for your spouse, children, parents, grandparents, and siblings (provided they are Singapore Citizens or Permanent Residents). Just sign the authorisation form at the clinic.

How do I check my Medisave balance and transaction history? Log in to the My CPF app with Singpass. Go to “My Statement” → “MediSave Account”. Every withdrawal appears within a day of claim approval.

What happens if my Medisave is insufficient for the full bill? The shortfall must be settled with cash, MediShield Life, or a private Integrated Shield Plan. You cannot switch to another family member’s Medisave mid‑claim — you must top up the account before discharge.

Are there any tax benefits for contributing to Medisave? Voluntary top‑ups to your own Medisave attract tax relief of up to the BHS (capped at $75,500 in 2026) per year, subject to the CPF Annual Limit. Top‑ups for family members get additional relief.

参考资料

• CPF Board, “MediSave” (2026 edition)
• Ministry of Health, “Table of Surgical Procedures” (2025 revision)
• Ministry of Health, “Medisave Withdrawal Limits” (2025‑2026)
• CPF Board, “Annual Report 2025” (published 2026)
• Singapore Statutes, Central Provident Fund Act (Cap. 36)