What if I have a severe asthma or COPD attack?
What if I have a severe asthma or COPD attack in Singapore: $538 – $2,894 in a subsidised ward (Ward C), based on MOH Bill Size Benchmarks. Average hospital stay: 4.1 days.
Asthma or COPD exacerbation requiring emergency hospitalisation.
Hospital bill by ward class
- Ward C (Subsidised · 8-9 beds): $538 – $2,894
- Ward B2 (Subsidised · 6 beds): $639 – $3,455
- Ward B1 (Non-subsidised): $2,055 – $9,017
- Private (Single room): $6,064 – $17,458
Source: MOH Bill Size Benchmarks, January–December 2023. Costs are after government subsidies but before MediShield Life or private insurance.
Treatment options
- COPD (catastrophic): $1,194 – $2,894 (Ward C)
- COPD (non-catastrophic): $674 – $1,503 (Ward C)
- Bronchitis and asthma (with complications): $739 – $1,802 (Ward C)
- Bronchitis and asthma (without complications): $538 – $1,040 (Ward C)
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What if I have a severe asthma or COPD attack?
5:50 AM
You reach for your inhaler the moment you wake up. One puff. Two. Nothing is loosening.
You can get air in, barely. You can't get it back out.
You can get air in, barely. You can't get it back out.
Your lips are starting to turn. Someone calls 995.
400,000+
Singaporeans live with asthma
Nebuliser in the ambulance. A&E. Steroids, oxygen, continuous monitoring.
A severe exacerbation may require IV steroids, bronchodilators, and in extreme cases, mechanical ventilation to rest exhausted breathing muscles.
Singapore's air quality and humidity create year-round triggers for both asthma and COPD patients
A day in hospital, sometimes more. Medication review before discharge.
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
COPD (catastrophic)
$1,194 – $2,894
Ward C
Ward C$1,194 – $2,894
Ward B2$1,222 – $3,455
Ward B1$3,513 – $9,017
COPD (non-catastrophic)
$674 – $1,503
Ward C
Ward C$674 – $1,503
Ward B2$834 – $1,739
Ward B1$2,984 – $6,247
Private$7,322 – $17,458
Bronchitis and asthma (with complications)
$739 – $1,802
Ward C
Ward C$739 – $1,802
Ward B2$842 – $1,918
Ward B1$2,382 – $5,389
Private$7,554 – $13,696
Bronchitis and asthma (without complications)
$538 – $1,040
Ward C
Ward C$538 – $1,040
Ward B2$639 – $1,406
Ward B1$2,055 – $2,758
Private$6,064 – $11,166
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
$2,894
in cash. That's after government subsidies but before any insurance kicks in.
Your ward, your bill
Subsidised · 8-9 beds · After subsidies, before insurance
~2 months
of HDB mortgage
~9%
of avg Medisave
~0.6 months
of median salary
Source: MOH Bill Size Benchmarks · Data period: Jan–Dec 2023 · Compiled by Keith Teo
Make it personal
What does this mean for you?
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$
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
$538 – $2,894
Ward B2 · Subsidised · 6 beds
$639 – $3,455
Ward B1 · Non-subsidised
$2,055 – $9,017
No more subsidies below
Private · Single room
$6,064 – $17,458
up to 6x Ward C
Insurance impact
What insurance actually does
Ward C bill. The bar shows how much you still pay.
$538 – $2,894
No insurance. You pay the full bill out of pocket or Medisave.
Good to know
Average Medisave balance ($31,000) covers this 11x 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.
Pulmonary rehabilitationInhalersBreathing therapyRegular lung testsOxygen equipment
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
Stop smoking
The single most impactful thing you can do. QuitLine (1800-438-2000) and HPB provide free cessation programmes.
2
Monitor air quality
During haze season, check NEA PSI readings. Keep rescue inhalers accessible if you have asthma or COPD.
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.