What if I need a scope (endoscopy or colonoscopy)?
What if I need a scope (endoscopy or colonoscopy) in Singapore: $1,152 – $4,732 in a subsidised ward (Ward C), based on MOH Bill Size Benchmarks. Average hospital stay: 2.9 days.
Diagnostic and therapeutic endoscopy or colonoscopy for stomach and bowel conditions.
Hospital bill by ward class
- Ward C (Subsidised · 8-9 beds): $1,152 – $4,732
- Ward B2 (Subsidised · 6 beds): $1,118 – $5,269
- Ward B1 (Non-subsidised): $3,362 – $16,266
- Private (Single room): $2,106 – $18,818
Source: MOH Bill Size Benchmarks, January–December 2023. Costs are after government subsidies but before MediShield Life or private insurance.
Treatment options
- Gastroscopy (upper GI endoscopy): $1,152 – $3,150 (Ward C)
- Gastroscopy with polypectomy/foreign body removal: $1,605 – $3,600 (Ward C)
- Colonoscopy (diagnostic): $1,215 – $3,041 (Ward C)
- Colonoscopy with polypectomy: $1,333 – $3,795 (Ward C)
- Capsule endoscopy:
- Endoscopic ultrasound: $1,745 – $4,732 (Ward C)
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What if I need a scope (endoscopy or colonoscopy)?
9:00 AM
Persistent stomach pain. Blood where there shouldn't be. Your doctor isn't dismissing it this time.
You're booked in for a scope.
You're booked in for a scope.
The prep is unpleasant. The procedure itself, you won't remember — you're sedated.
1 in 10
colonoscopies find polyps that need to be removed
The scope finds something — or confirms nothing serious. Either way, you needed to know.
Gastroscopy looks at the upper digestive tract; colonoscopy examines the bowel. Both use a flexible camera. Polyps or tissue samples can be taken during the same procedure.
Colorectal cancer is Singapore's most common cancer — screening scopes are recommended from age 50
You wake up groggy. The doctor comes in to talk through the findings.
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
Gastroscopy (upper GI endoscopy)
$1,152 – $3,150
Ward C
Ward C$1,152 – $3,150
Ward B2$1,118 – $2,782
Ward B1$3,362 – $7,116
Private$2,106 – $14,748
Gastroscopy with polypectomy/foreign body removal
$1,605 – $3,600
Ward C
Ward C$1,605 – $3,600
Ward B2$1,684 – $3,595
Ward B1$3,824 – $7,829
Private$2,188 – $18,818
Colonoscopy (diagnostic)
$1,215 – $3,041
Ward C
Ward C$1,215 – $3,041
Ward B2$1,413 – $2,949
Ward B1$4,171 – $8,340
Private$2,596 – $12,497
Colonoscopy with polypectomy
$1,333 – $3,795
Ward C
Ward C$1,333 – $3,795
Ward B2$1,613 – $3,974
Ward B1$4,843 – $6,318
Private$3,451 – $13,775
Capsule endoscopy
$5,149 – $5,998
Private
Private$5,149 – $5,998
Endoscopic ultrasound
$1,745 – $4,732
Ward C
Ward C$1,745 – $4,732
Ward B2$1,705 – $5,269
Ward B1$5,871 – $16,266
Private$5,153 – $12,333
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
$4,732
in cash. That's after government subsidies but before any insurance kicks in.
Your ward, your bill
Subsidised · 8-9 beds · After subsidies, before insurance
~3 months
of HDB mortgage
~15%
of avg Medisave
~0.9 months
of median salary
Source: MOH Bill Size Benchmarks · Data period: Jan–Dec 2023 · Compiled by Keith Teo
Make it personal
What does this mean for you?
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$
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
$1,152 – $4,732
Ward B2 · Subsidised · 6 beds
$1,118 – $5,269
Ward B1 · Non-subsidised
$3,362 – $16,266
No more subsidies below
Private · Single room
$2,106 – $18,818
up to 4x Ward C
Insurance impact
What insurance actually does
Ward C bill. The bar shows how much you still pay.
$1,152 – $4,732
No insurance. You pay the full bill out of pocket or Medisave.
Good to know
Average Medisave balance ($31,000) covers this 7x 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.
Dietary managementOngoing medicationFollow-up endoscopiesSpecialist reviewsLab monitoring
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
Don't ignore symptoms
Persistent stomach pain, blood in stool, or unexplained weight loss warrant a doctor visit, not a Google search.
2
Consider a colonoscopy
If you're 50+, regular colonoscopy screening catches problems early when they're cheaper and easier to treat.
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.