What if I have angina / coronary artery disease?
What if I have angina / coronary artery disease in Singapore: $489 – $2,180 in a subsidised ward (Ward C), based on MOH Bill Size Benchmarks. Average hospital stay: 2.7 days.
Stable and unstable angina from coronary artery disease.
Hospital bill by ward class
- Ward C (Subsidised · 8-9 beds): $489 – $2,180
- Ward B2 (Subsidised · 6 beds): $536 – $2,683
- Ward B1 (Non-subsidised): $1,504 – $13,097
- Private (Single room): $3,155 – $21,034
Source: MOH Bill Size Benchmarks, January–December 2023. Costs are after government subsidies but before MediShield Life or private insurance.
Treatment options
- Coronary atherosclerosis (with complications): $907 – $2,180 (Ward C)
- Coronary atherosclerosis (without complications): $615 – $1,304 (Ward C)
- Unstable angina (with complications): $806 – $2,158 (Ward C)
- Unstable angina (without complications): $593 – $1,655 (Ward C)
- Chest pain: $489 – $1,203 (Ward C)
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What if I have angina / coronary artery disease?
6:50 PM
A squeezing pressure behind your breastbone. It came on during your evening walk.
You sit on a bench near the MRT and wait for it to pass.
You sit on a bench near the MRT and wait for it to pass.
It passes. But it keeps coming back. Your GP refers you to a cardiologist.
80%
of angina cases are managed without emergency surgery
An angiogram to see what's happening inside the arteries.
Medication, lifestyle changes, and possibly a procedure.
Medication, lifestyle changes, and possibly a procedure.
Stable angina is usually treated with medication and monitored closely. Unstable angina may need an angioplasty or stent.
Coronary artery disease is the leading cause of death in Singapore
You change your diet. You slow down.
Then the bill arrives.
Then the bill arrives.
Treatment breakdown
It depends on the treatment
What they do determines the bill. Tap to see costs by ward class.
Source: MOH Bill Size Benchmarks, Jan–Dec 2023
Coronary atherosclerosis (with complications)
$907 – $2,180
Ward C
Ward C$907 – $2,180
Ward B2$1,025 – $2,683
Ward B1$2,686 – $13,097
Private$8,383 – $21,034
Coronary atherosclerosis (without complications)
$615 – $1,304
Ward C
Ward C$615 – $1,304
Ward B2$692 – $1,685
Ward B1$1,933 – $4,942
Private$6,495 – $11,197
Unstable angina (with complications)
$806 – $2,158
Ward C
Ward C$806 – $2,158
Ward B2$1,339 – $2,486
Unstable angina (without complications)
$593 – $1,655
Ward C
Ward C$593 – $1,655
Ward B2$536 – $2,061
Private$6,342 – $13,236
Chest pain
$489 – $1,203
Ward C
Ward C$489 – $1,203
Ward B2$665 – $1,450
Ward B1$1,504 – $3,828
Private$3,155 – $11,500
Your hospital bill
$0
Ward C (subsidised) · worst case · after subsidies, before insurance
Source: MOH Bill Size Benchmarks, Jan–Dec 2023
Source: MOH Bill Size Benchmarks, Jan–Dec 2023
But what does this actually mean for your wallet?
The bottom line
For this scenario, you need at least
$2,180
in cash. That's after government subsidies but before any insurance kicks in.
Your ward, your bill
Subsidised · 8-9 beds · After subsidies, before insurance
~1 months
of HDB mortgage
~7%
of avg Medisave
~0.4 months
of median salary
Source: MOH Bill Size Benchmarks · Data period: Jan–Dec 2023 · Compiled by Keith Teo
Make it personal
What does this mean for you?
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$
Ward class matters
Where you stay changes everything
Same condition. The ward determines the bill.
Source: MOH Bill Size Benchmarks, Jan–Dec 2023
Ward C · Subsidised · 8-9 beds
$489 – $2,180
Ward B2 · Subsidised · 6 beds
$536 – $2,683
Ward B1 · Non-subsidised
$1,504 – $13,097
No more subsidies below
Private · Single room
$3,155 – $21,034
up to 10x Ward C
Insurance impact
What insurance actually does
Ward C bill. The bar shows how much you still pay.
$489 – $2,180
No insurance. You pay the full bill out of pocket or Medisave.
Good to know
Average Medisave balance ($31,000) covers this 14x in Ward C
Beyond the hospital bill
These costs are just the hospital stay
After discharge, expect ongoing costs that for many patients exceed the initial bill.
Cardiac rehabilitationBlood thinnersRegular ECGsLifestyle programmesCardiologist reviews
And these costs keep rising. Healthcare costs are up 12% since 2020, outpacing general inflation.
If the worst happens
When someone dies in Singapore,
banks freeze every account.
Your family can't withdraw a single dollar until the legal process is complete. Most Singaporeans aren't prepared.
56%
of Singaporean adults don't have a will
40%
of under-65s have no CPF nomination
With a will
2-6 months to settle. Funeral, lawyer, and court fees combined.
~S$6,400
No will
6-12+ months to settle. Legal fees alone are S$10K-$20K. Contested estates reach S$93,000+.
S$10K–$93K+
While your family waits, mortgage payments, insurance premiums, and utility bills keep coming out of their own pockets.
What to do now
5 things to check today
1
Know your numbers
Blood pressure, cholesterol, resting heart rate. Free health screenings are available at polyclinics under Screen for Life.
2
Ask about cardiac rehab
After a heart event, structured rehab programmes reduce re-admission risk by up to 25%. Most public hospitals offer them.
3
Check what your insurance actually covers
Log into CPF, go to My Healthcare, check MediShield Life or ISP coverage. Look for your ward class limit and claim caps.
4
Know your Medisave withdrawal limits
Your Medisave balance doesn't mean that amount is available for one bill. There are per-day and per-procedure caps.
5
Write a will and make a CPF nomination
A simple will starts from S$99. CPF nomination is free at cpf.gov.sg. Without these, your family faces months of legal process and S$10K+ in fees.