What if I get colorectal cancer?
What if I get colorectal cancer in Singapore: $468 – $12,300 in a subsidised ward (Ward C), based on MOH Bill Size Benchmarks. Average hospital stay: 3.7 days.
Colorectal cancer treatment including colonoscopy, hemicolectomy, anterior resection, and chemotherapy.
Hospital bill by ward class
- Ward C (Subsidised · 8-9 beds): $468 – $12,300
- Ward B2 (Subsidised · 6 beds): $471 – $13,070
- Ward B1 (Non-subsidised): $876 – $36,241
- Private (Single room): $1,090 – $70,218
Source: MOH Bill Size Benchmarks, January–December 2023. Costs are after government subsidies but before MediShield Life or private insurance.
Treatment options
- Digestive system cancer (medical): $607 – $3,941 (Ward C)
- Colonoscopy with biopsy/polypectomy: $1,215 – $3,795 (Ward C)
- Hemicolectomy / colectomy: $4,620 – $10,266 (Ward C)
- Anterior resection / rectal surgery: $4,689 – $12,300 (Ward C)
- Chemotherapy: $468 – $2,455 (Ward C)
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What if I get colorectal cancer?
7:40 AM
Blood in the toilet. You've noticed it before and ignored it.
This time, your GP doesn't let it slide.
This time, your GP doesn't let it slide.
A colonoscopy. The doctor finds something and goes quiet.
9
days from referral to confirmed diagnosis, on average
Surgery to remove part of the colon. Possibly a stoma, temporarily or permanently.
Depending on location and stage — hemicolectomy, anterior resection, or polypectomy for early-stage cases.
Colorectal cancer: Singapore's most common cancer overall
Weeks in hospital. Careful diet. Slow recovery.
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
Digestive system cancer (medical)
$607 – $3,941
Ward C
Ward C$607 – $3,941
Ward B2$471 – $5,058
Ward B1$2,464 – $11,529
Private$1,090 – $70,218
Colonoscopy with biopsy/polypectomy
$1,215 – $3,795
Ward C
Ward C$1,215 – $3,795
Ward B2$1,370 – $3,974
Ward B1$4,171 – $8,340
Private$2,596 – $19,196
Hemicolectomy / colectomy
$4,620 – $10,266
Ward C
Ward C$4,620 – $10,266
Ward B2$4,625 – $10,666
Ward B1$18,982 – $25,999
Private$44,062 – $68,084
Anterior resection / rectal surgery
$4,689 – $12,300
Ward C
Ward C$4,689 – $12,300
Ward B2$4,641 – $13,070
Ward B1$26,867 – $36,241
Chemotherapy
$468 – $2,455
Ward C
Ward C$468 – $2,455
Ward B2$555 – $1,216
Ward B1$876 – $1,883
Private$10,544 – $14,289
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
$12,300
in cash. That's after government subsidies but before any insurance kicks in.
Your ward, your bill
Subsidised · 8-9 beds · After subsidies, before insurance
~7 months
of HDB mortgage
~40%
of avg Medisave
~2.5 months
of median salary
Source: MOH Bill Size Benchmarks · Data period: Jan–Dec 2023 · Compiled by Keith Teo
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What does this mean for you?
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$
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
$468 – $12,300
Ward B2 · Subsidised · 6 beds
$471 – $13,070
Ward B1 · Non-subsidised
$876 – $36,241
No more subsidies below
Private · Single room
$1,090 – $70,218
up to 6x Ward C
Insurance impact
What insurance actually does
Ward C bill. The bar shows how much you still pay.
$468 – $12,300
No insurance. You pay the full bill out of pocket or Medisave.
Good to know
Average Medisave balance ($31,000) covers this 2x 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.
Chemotherapy cyclesOncology follow-upsTargeted medicationRadiation sessionsScreening scans
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
Ask about screening
Early detection saves lives and money. Ask your GP about age-appropriate cancer screening programmes available in Singapore.
2
Understand your treatment options
Different treatments have very different costs. Ask your oncologist to walk through the options and their bill implications.
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.