What if I get poor circulation?
What if I get poor circulation in Singapore: $574 – $24,820 in a subsidised ward (Ward C), based on MOH Bill Size Benchmarks. Average hospital stay: 5.5 days.
Peripheral vascular disease and circulatory problems including ulcers and blockages.
Hospital bill by ward class
- Ward C (Subsidised · 8-9 beds): $574 – $24,820
- Ward B2 (Subsidised · 6 beds): $532 – $25,985
- Ward B1 (Non-subsidised): $1,776 – $24,713
- Private (Single room): $7,653 – $25,178
Source: MOH Bill Size Benchmarks, January–December 2023. Costs are after government subsidies but before MediShield Life or private insurance.
Treatment options
- Peripheral vascular disorders (with complications): $998 – $2,964 (Ward C)
- Peripheral vascular disorders (without complications): $574 – $1,581 (Ward C)
- Skin ulcers from circulation problems: $591 – $2,461 (Ward C)
- Arterial angioplasty (simple): $2,368 – $5,199 (Ward C)
- Arterial angioplasty (complex): $3,452 – $7,079 (Ward C)
- Arterial stent graft: $6,206 – $14,463 (Ward C)
- Abdominal aortic aneurysm repair (EVAR): $12,284 – $24,820 (Ward C)
- Diagnostic angiogram: $1,532 – $5,043 (Ward C)
- Arterial embolisation: $3,229 – $7,118 (Ward C)
- Arterial thrombolysis: $4,747 – $8,753 (Ward C)
- Carotid stenting: $6,659 – $9,405 (Ward C)
Scroll
What if I get poor circulation?
7:40 PM
Your legs ache when you walk. A hundred metres and you have to stop.
The pain started gradually. Now it's there every day.
The pain started gradually. Now it's there every day.
The ultrasound shows the arteries are narrowed. Blood isn't getting through properly.
1 in 5
people over 60 have some degree of peripheral artery disease
Medication first. Then possibly a procedure to open the blocked vessels.
In severe cases, surgery to bypass the blockage entirely.
In severe cases, surgery to bypass the blockage entirely.
Treatment ranges from lifestyle changes and drugs to angioplasty, stenting, or bypass grafting depending on how blocked the artery is.
Diabetes — very common in Singapore — significantly raises the risk of peripheral vascular disease
Some days your legs feel almost normal again.
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
Peripheral vascular disorders (with complications)
$998 – $2,964
Ward C
Ward C$998 – $2,964
Ward B2$1,053 – $3,036
Peripheral vascular disorders (without complications)
$574 – $1,581
Ward C
Ward C$574 – $1,581
Ward B2$532 – $1,640
Ward B1$1,776 – $4,680
Private$7,653 – $25,178
Skin ulcers from circulation problems
$591 – $2,461
Ward C
Ward C$591 – $2,461
Ward B2$635 – $2,877
Arterial angioplasty (simple)
$2,368 – $5,199
Ward C
Ward C$2,368 – $5,199
Ward B2$2,115 – $4,439
Arterial angioplasty (complex)
$3,452 – $7,079
Ward C
Ward C$3,452 – $7,079
Ward B2$3,194 – $6,292
Ward B1$13,674 – $19,704
Arterial stent graft
$6,206 – $14,463
Ward C
Ward C$6,206 – $14,463
Ward B2$4,335 – $11,247
Abdominal aortic aneurysm repair (EVAR)
$12,284 – $24,820
Ward C
Ward C$12,284 – $24,820
Ward B2$15,369 – $25,985
Diagnostic angiogram
$1,532 – $5,043
Ward C
Ward C$1,532 – $5,043
Ward B2$1,725 – $4,972
Arterial embolisation
$3,229 – $7,118
Ward C
Ward C$3,229 – $7,118
Ward B2$2,624 – $12,129
Ward B1$9,705 – $24,713
Arterial thrombolysis
$4,747 – $8,753
Ward C
Ward C$4,747 – $8,753
Ward B2$5,098 – $9,021
Carotid stenting
$6,659 – $9,405
Ward C
Ward C$6,659 – $9,405
Ward B2$5,900 – $9,813
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
$24,820
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
~14 months
of HDB mortgage
~80%
of avg Medisave
~5 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
$574 – $24,820
Ward B2 · Subsidised · 6 beds
$532 – $25,985
Ward B1 · Non-subsidised
$1,776 – $24,713
No more subsidies below
Private · Single room
$7,653 – $25,178
up to 1x Ward C
Insurance impact
What insurance actually does
Ward C bill. The bar shows how much you still pay.
$574 – $24,820
No insurance. You pay the full bill out of pocket or Medisave.
Good to know
Average Medisave balance ($31,000) covers this 1x 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.