What if I injure my hand?
What if I injure my hand in Singapore: $479 – $3,800 in a subsidised ward (Ward C), based on MOH Bill Size Benchmarks. Average hospital stay: 1 days.
Hand injuries including fractures, tendon injuries, and crush injuries.
Hospital bill by ward class
- Ward C (Subsidised · 8-9 beds): $479 – $3,800
- Ward B2 (Subsidised · 6 beds): $1,901 – $3,882
- Private (Single room): $1,627 – $25,760
Source: MOH Bill Size Benchmarks, January–December 2023. Costs are after government subsidies but before MediShield Life or private insurance.
Treatment options
- Hand fracture ORIF: $1,506 – $3,800 (Ward C)
- De Quervain's release:
- Microsurgical repair (single digit): $1,875 – $3,732 (Ward C)
- Crush injury debridement: $479 – $2,353 (Ward C)
- Hand complex injury repair (1-2 tendons/fractures): $1,812 – $3,074 (Ward C)
- Crush injury debridement (complex): $1,144 – $2,174 (Ward C)
- Finger deformity correction:
Scroll
What if I injure my hand?
11:25 AM
A slip with a knife. Or a door. Or machinery at work. Your finger won't straighten.
Blood. A lot of it.
Blood. A lot of it.
A&E. Cleaning. Stitches or surgery, depending on how deep it goes.
27
bones in the hand — each one essential
Tendon or nerve damage means surgery under magnification. Then weeks immobilised.
Hand surgeons work with loupes or a microscope to repair tendons and nerves. Even a clean repair requires careful rehabilitation to restore full function.
Hand injuries are one of the most common reasons for A&E visits in Singapore
You type carefully for weeks. The scar fades slowly.
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
Hand fracture ORIF
$1,506 – $3,800
Ward C
Ward C$1,506 – $3,800
Private$10,953 – $25,760
De Quervain's release
$4,882 – $8,967
Private
Private$4,882 – $8,967
Microsurgical repair (single digit)
$1,875 – $3,732
Ward C
Ward C$1,875 – $3,732
Ward B2$1,901 – $3,882
Crush injury debridement
$479 – $2,353
Ward C
Ward C$479 – $2,353
Private$1,627 – $2,099
Hand complex injury repair (1-2 tendons/fractures)
$1,812 – $3,074
Ward C
Ward C$1,812 – $3,074
Crush injury debridement (complex)
$1,144 – $2,174
Ward C
Ward C$1,144 – $2,174
Finger deformity correction
$9,617 – $12,533
Private
Private$9,617 – $12,533
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
$3,800
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
~12%
of avg Medisave
~0.8 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?
Enter your details for personalised insights. Nothing is stored or sent.
$
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
$479 – $3,800
Ward B2 · Subsidised · 6 beds
$1,901 – $3,882
No more subsidies below
Private · Single room
$1,627 – $25,760
up to 7x Ward C
Insurance impact
What insurance actually does
Ward C bill. The bar shows how much you still pay.
$479 – $3,800
No insurance. You pay the full bill out of pocket or Medisave.
Good to know
Average Medisave balance ($31,000) covers this 8x 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.
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.