What if my heart rhythm goes wrong?
What if my heart rhythm goes wrong in Singapore: $632 – $13,407 in a subsidised ward (Ward C), based on MOH Bill Size Benchmarks. Average hospital stay: 3.5 days.
Heart rhythm disorders (arrhythmia) including atrial fibrillation, requiring pacemaker or ablation.
Hospital bill by ward class
- Ward C (Subsidised · 8-9 beds): $632 – $13,407
- Ward B2 (Subsidised · 6 beds): $745 – $13,786
- Ward B1 (Non-subsidised): $1,841 – $22,347
- Private (Single room): $3,797 – $66,834
Source: MOH Bill Size Benchmarks, January–December 2023. Costs are after government subsidies but before MediShield Life or private insurance.
Treatment options
- Arrhythmia / cardiac arrest (medical): $632 – $2,489 (Ward C)
- Pacemaker insertion (single chamber): $3,584 – $7,793 (Ward C)
- Pacemaker insertion (dual chamber): $3,421 – $6,659 (Ward C)
- Pacemaker replacement: $2,277 – $5,090 (Ward C)
- ICD (defibrillator) implant: $3,421 – $9,450 (Ward C)
- Cardiac ablation (simple): $4,989 – $10,658 (Ward C)
- Cardiac ablation (complex): $4,563 – $13,407 (Ward C)
- Cardioversion:
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What if my heart rhythm goes wrong?
11:42 AM
Your heart does something strange. A flutter. Then a thud. Then nothing for a beat too long.
You're in the middle of a meeting.
You're in the middle of a meeting.
It passes. But it happens again that afternoon, and this time you feel dizzy.
48
hours some arrhythmias can be sustained before stroke risk rises sharply
A&E. An ECG picks it up immediately.
Depending on the rhythm, they may admit you or act that same day.
Depending on the rhythm, they may admit you or act that same day.
Options range from medication and cardioversion — an electrical reset — to catheter ablation, where the rogue electrical pathway is cauterised.
Atrial fibrillation, the most common arrhythmia, raises stroke risk fivefold
Your heart settles into a normal rhythm. You're discharged with a monitor patch.
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
Arrhythmia / cardiac arrest (medical)
$632 – $2,489
Ward C
Ward C$632 – $2,489
Ward B2$745 – $2,919
Ward B1$1,841 – $5,959
Private$3,797 – $20,980
Pacemaker insertion (single chamber)
$3,584 – $7,793
Ward C
Ward C$3,584 – $7,793
Pacemaker insertion (dual chamber)
$3,421 – $6,659
Ward C
Ward C$3,421 – $6,659
Ward B2$3,766 – $8,020
Ward B1$14,609 – $22,347
Private$22,880 – $37,510
Pacemaker replacement
$2,277 – $5,090
Ward C
Ward C$2,277 – $5,090
Ward B2$2,740 – $8,890
Private$15,944 – $30,051
ICD (defibrillator) implant
$3,421 – $9,450
Ward C
Ward C$3,421 – $9,450
Ward B2$3,411 – $10,600
Cardiac ablation (simple)
$4,989 – $10,658
Ward C
Ward C$4,989 – $10,658
Ward B2$4,034 – $9,617
Private$29,765 – $35,934
Cardiac ablation (complex)
$4,563 – $13,407
Ward C
Ward C$4,563 – $13,407
Ward B2$6,293 – $13,786
Private$36,607 – $66,834
Cardioversion
$4,143 – $16,537
Private
Private$4,143 – $16,537
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
$13,407
in cash. That's after government subsidies but before any insurance kicks in.
Your ward, your bill
Subsidised · 8-9 beds · After subsidies, before insurance
~7 months
of HDB mortgage
~43%
of avg Medisave
~2.7 months
of median salary
Source: MOH Bill Size Benchmarks · Data period: Jan–Dec 2023 · Compiled by Keith Teo
Make it personal
What does this mean for you?
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$
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
$632 – $13,407
Ward B2 · Subsidised · 6 beds
$745 – $13,786
Ward B1 · Non-subsidised
$1,841 – $22,347
No more subsidies below
Private · Single room
$3,797 – $66,834
up to 5x Ward C
Insurance impact
What insurance actually does
Ward C bill. The bar shows how much you still pay.
$632 – $13,407
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.
Cardiac rehabilitationBlood thinnersRegular ECGsLifestyle programmesCardiologist reviews
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
Know your numbers
Blood pressure, cholesterol, resting heart rate. Free health screenings are available at polyclinics under Screen for Life.
2
Ask about cardiac rehab
After a heart event, structured rehab programmes reduce re-admission risk by up to 25%. Most public hospitals offer them.
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.