Understanding Hospital Billing and Insurance Claims in Singapore as an Expat
Singapore has a standardized bill presentment for all public hospitals and official fee benchmarks for treatments at private hospitals. Coupled with a comprehensive insurance system, your payment process can become a stress-free experience.
In this Pacific Prime Singapore article, we unpack your payment process at a Singapore hospital and explore what you can expect to see on your bills and how you can easily submit your insurance claim in Singapore.
Understanding Hospital Billing in Singapore
Singapore’s hospital bills are largely standardized, and you will be able to find a quick summary of your bill, your overall charges, and your total payment after subsidies with ease. You can also find your payment options and contact information for your bill inquiries.
In Singapore, public hospitals’ bills are standardized, so no matter which hospital you go to, you will find the same format of bills across different hospitals and healthcare institutions.
What you will find in your public hospitals’ bills in Singapore includes:
- A quick summary of your bill, with total amounts before and after any possible government subsidies, and your final payable amount
- SG QR code for self-service cashless payment
- A list of all services consumed while you’re in the hospital before and after any government subsidies
- Payment summary
- Payment options
- Contact information for billing inquiries
For private hospitals in Singapore, your bill format may differ slightly from what you will find at public hospitals. However, rest assured, as you will still find a detailed breakdown of your charges and how much you will pay.
What you may find included in your private hospitals’ bills:
- Billed by your doctors:
- Surgeon fees
- Anesthetic fees
- Doctor’s attendance fees
- Billed by the hospital:
- Room charges
- Facilities and equipment
- Implants
- Consumables
- Nursing services and treatment
- Medication
For expats looking to receive care at a private hospital in Singapore, you will also want to review the fee benchmarks beforehand. These are the recommended price ranges for services you receive at a private hospital or a private clinic issued by the Ministry of Health.
Would you like to learn more about public and private hospitals in Singapore? Check out our article: Public and Private Hospitals in Singapore: Key Differences Expats Should Know.
Singapore Private Hospitals Fee Benchmarks
Singapore’s Ministry of Health published fee benchmarks as recommended charges for private hospitals and doctors in private practice. The benchmark is not a requirement, but hospitals must inform and justify any fees higher than the benchmark with patients and insurers beforehand.
Singapore issued four types of fee benchmarks for private hospitals and doctors in private practice:
- Surgeon fee benchmarks for approximately 2,180 procedures
- Anesthetist fee benchmarks for approximately 550 procedures
- Hospital fee benchmarks for 21 procedures and 8 medical conditions
- Doctors’ inpatient attendance fee benchmarks
You can download the full list of fee benchmarks here.
Patients are recommended to review the fee benchmark of their procedures before receiving treatment or being admitted to the hospital.
The fee benchmarks are not a requirement but a reasonable range of prices patients and insurers can expect from the hospital, with less complex cases being charged on the lower end and more complex cases being charged on the higher end.
Your actual bill could be more expensive than the fee benchmarks if the treatment is exceptionally complex.
If your bill is more expensive than the benchmark, your healthcare provider must inform you of the fee and the justification for the fee before your treatment or admission to the hospital.
Financial counseling should also be made available to you before your procedure or hospitalization.
Healthcare providers who constantly charge higher than the fee benchmarks might be reviewed by the Ministry of Health for pricing transparency and clarity.
Filing Insurance Claims in Singapore as an Expat
Expats can follow their usual insurance claims process in Singapore, which includes using the direct billing service or filing the claim themselves.
If the hospital you visit is within your insurer’s network (in-network hospital), you can use your insurer’s direct billing service to avoid the headache and hassle that usually comes with gathering and sending paperwork to your insurer.
If the hospital is outside your insurer’s network, you will need to pay upfront and file your claims to receive reimbursement from your insurer later.
Find out how to file your claims using the two methods below:
Using Direct Billing Service in Singapore
When you receive care at an in-network hospital, you can avail yourself of the convenient direct billing service. This service allows the hospital to settle the bill directly with your insurer, meaning you can skip all the headaches that usually come with the paperwork.
Here are the general steps you can follow to use the direct billing service in Singapore:
Step 1: Confirm the Status of Your Preferred Hospital
It’s best to check with your insurer’s hospital list first that your preferred hospital is actually within the network. If they are outside the network, you will not be able to use the direct billing service.
Step 2: Inform Your Hospital
Upon arriving at the hospital, present your insurance card at the registration to let them know you are using the direct billing service. The hospital will cross-check with your insurer whether your policy covers your treatment.
Step 3: Settle the Bill
After you receive your treatment, the hospital will give you a claim form to sign. The form will let the healthcare provider settle the bill directly with your insurer.
If the treatment does not exceed your benefit limit, and no deductible or copayment applies to your policy, you may be able to leave the hospital instantly without paying anything out of pocket!
Should your treatment exceed your coverage limits, or if your policy includes any kinds of deductibles or copayments, you will need to pay this directly to your healthcare provider before leaving the hospital.
Step 4: Receiving Your EOB
Once your claim process is complete, you will receive an Explanation of Benefits (EOB) from your insurer detailing the treatment you received, the costs, and the amount covered by your insurance.
Filing Claims Yourself in Singapore
If your preferred hospital is not within the network of your insurer, you will need to file the claims yourself. Though gathering documents and handling paperwork may not be too exciting, good preparation can make the process smooth and hassle-free!
See our steps below:
Step 1: Fill in Your Claim Form
Once you have received your healthcare, you can fill in your insurer’s claim form to begin your claim submission.
You can find your insurer’s claim form on their website, mobile application, or other online portals indicated by your insurer.
It is best to submit your claim early, as some policies may have time limits on when you can submit your claim, such as within 30 or 90 days from your hospital discharge or from the date specified in your receipt.
Step 2: Gather Necessary Documents
When filing for your insurance claims in Singapore, your insurer will request certain documents to support your claims. These documents generally include:
- Your insurer’s claim form
- Medical report
- Receipt
- Police report (in case of traffic or other accidents)
- Work permit or visa information (if you are an expat)
You can inform your hospital during the visit to let them know you will need a medical report and a receipt for insurance claims. Your hospital might be able to help you ensure you get all the documents you need.
Step 3: Submit Your Documents
Once you have all your documents ready and your claim form completed, you can submit your documents to the insurer. This can be by postal mail, email, or their online portal, depending on the instructions of your insurer.
Usually, your insurer will send you an acknowledgement when your documents are received on their side.
The processing time for your claims may vary, and it can take a while before you receive the results of your claims.
Simplify Your Insurance Process in Singapore with Us
With 25 years of experience, Pacific Prime Singapore leverages our deep ties with insurers and industry expertise to make insurance easy for our clients.
By letting our expert advisors know about your needs and budget, we can help you secure health insurance that works best for your time in Singapore, whether for yourself or your family.
Receive free tailored insurance advice now from Pacific Prime Singapore.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can expats use Singapore’s public health insurance system?
You must be a citizen or a permanent resident of Singapore to use Singapore’s public health insurance system. Most expats rely on private health insurance (personal or group plan) to cover their healthcare.
Can I file for insurance claims under two policies?
Once you reach your claim limit on one policy, you can use another policy to cover the rest. If your policies are from different insurers, you must inform both insurers about your claims.
How does health insurance work in Singapore for foreigners?
Expats may have their own private health insurance plan or a group plan provided by their employer. When receiving healthcare, expats can settle their bills by either using the direct billing service or submitting claims with the insurer themselves.
Coming to Pacific Prime, she is ready to utilize her experience for the new pursuit. With a strong passion for storytelling and writing, she hopes her words could help bring people closer to the best international health insurance plan that works for them. After all, as a writer, there is no greater honor than when one’s words can add clarity to the world of the readers.
Apart from writing, she is an avid planespotter. On the weekends, you can expect to find her loitering around the airport, gawking at all the aircrafts taking off and landing. When the weather does not permit planespotting, you can find her huddling on her cozy couch, watching ballet and figure skating as well.
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