What if I have a ganglion cyst?
Ganglion cyst removal from the wrist, hand, or tendon sheath. These fluid-filled lumps are the most common type of hand and wrist lump, often appearing on the back of the wrist.
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What if I have a ganglion cyst?
9:30 AM
A lump appears on your wrist. It does not hurt, but it is growing.
You keep checking it.
You keep checking it.
Your doctor confirms it is a ganglion cyst. Fluid-filled, benign. It might go away on its own. Or it might not.
60-70
percent of all hand and wrist lumps are ganglion cysts
If it causes pain or limits movement, surgery removes the cyst and part of the joint capsule it is attached to.
Ganglion cyst excision is typically day surgery. The cyst is removed along with a portion of the tendon sheath or joint capsule to reduce recurrence. Even after surgery, there is a 5-15% chance of recurrence.
Ganglion cysts are the most common type of soft tissue lump in the hand and wrist
The lump is gone. The stitches come out after two weeks.
Then the bill arrives.
Then the bill arrives.
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
$0
in cash. That's after government subsidies but before any insurance kicks in.
Source: MOH Bill Size Benchmarks · Data period: Jan–Dec 2023 · Compiled by Keith Teo
Make it personal
What does this mean for you?
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$
Insurance impact
What insurance actually does
Ward C bill. The bar shows how much you still pay.
N/A
No insurance. You pay the full bill out of pocket or Medisave.
Beyond the hospital bill
These costs are just the hospital stay
After discharge, expect ongoing costs that for many patients exceed the initial bill.
PhysiotherapyMobility aidsPain medicationOccupational therapyFollow-up X-rays
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
Check your fall risk
Most fractures in Singapore happen from falls. Remove tripping hazards at home, especially for elderly family members.
2
Budget for physiotherapy
Recovery from bone and joint surgery typically requires 2-4 months of regular physio sessions at $50-$150 each.
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.