{"id":1061,"date":"2018-05-18T14:34:59","date_gmt":"2018-05-18T06:34:59","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.pacificprime.sg\/blog\/?p=1061"},"modified":"2023-08-04T16:54:49","modified_gmt":"2023-08-04T08:54:49","slug":"surgical-insurance-coverage-singapore","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.pacificprime.sg\/blog\/surgical-insurance-coverage-singapore\/","title":{"rendered":"Do you have the right surgical insurance coverage in Singapore?"},"content":{"rendered":"

The health benefits people use the most when they hold insurance are generally outpatient-related; GP visits, physiotherapy, or chiropractic treatments. In fact, it\u2019s actually these types of benefits that drive a lot of what we call \u201coverutilization of healthcare\u201d in the sector, usually because of their quick and generally easy-to-acquire nature. One of the more important forms of coverage when it comes to medical plans for expats however, is surgical insurance coverage.<\/span><\/p>\n

While it\u2019s not the most commonly used, ensuring surgical benefits are in place when something more significant happens is a priority for most people – because of their often high cost. In this article, we\u2019re taking a look at just where different surgical treatment coverage lies within the various types of health insurance<\/a> plans and what you should look out for when purchasing a plan in Singapore. <\/span><\/p>\n

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What exactly are surgical insurance benefits?<\/span><\/h2>\n

As the name suggests, surgical benefits cover care where you\u2019re admitted to a hospital or day clinic for a surgery. They can cover a range of hospitalization expenses; from surgery and doctor\u2019s fees, to room and board, diagnostic testing, and other incidentals related to extended stays at a facility. Or they can simply cover the cost <\/span><\/p>\n

Charges for hospitalization and surgical treatments can be extremely high, particularly when compared with the costs of visiting a GP. For example, the cost of seeing a GP could be as little as SGD 20, with a maximum of about SGD 55 for residents, and over SGD 100 for foreigners. Seeking out cancer treatment in Singapore however, can be <\/span>estimated to cost<\/span><\/a> as much as SGD 100,000-200,000 a year, with surgery for heart disease being as high as SGD 12,657 for one treatment. <\/span><\/p>\n

Surgical insurance benefits can come with gaps. Due to their high costs, insurers may place low limits (the maximum amount that can be claimed for a specific surgical treatment) or restrict coverage for certain injuries\/illnesses to reduce their risk – meaning patients can still find themselves on the hook for a decent out-of-pocket payment, even with health insurance. When buying insurance, you should always be clear about what your benefits and limits are to avoid any unexpected surprises should you need to use it in future. <\/span><\/p>\n

What types of surgeries exist and in what sort of insurance plan will I find them?<\/span><\/h2>\n

Surgeries can fall under either inpatient or outpatient benefits in your health insurance plan. Both can be performed at a hospital with their main point of difference being whether or not you\u2019re required to stay the night. Inpatient benefits cover surgical treatments where you\u2019re admitted for one or more nights, where outpatient surgeries are also called day or ambulatory surgeries. <\/span><\/p>\n

Inpatient surgical insurance benefits<\/span><\/h3>\n

Inpatient surgeries are often more complex and involved than their day surgery counterparts. Common surgeries that can be covered by inpatient surgical insurance benefits include: <\/span><\/p>\n