What if I need psychiatric care?
What if I need psychiatric care in Singapore: $624 – $5,363 in a subsidised ward (Ward C), based on MOH Bill Size Benchmarks. Average hospital stay: 9.1 days.
Mental health conditions requiring hospitalisation including depression, anxiety, psychosis, and eating disorders.
Hospital bill by ward class
- Ward C (Subsidised · 8-9 beds): $624 – $5,363
- Ward B2 (Subsidised · 6 beds): $424 – $7,558
- Ward B1 (Non-subsidised): $1,496 – $11,106
- Private (Single room): $2,533 – $13,009
Source: MOH Bill Size Benchmarks, January–December 2023. Costs are after government subsidies but before MediShield Life or private insurance.
Treatment options
- Schizophrenia: $640 – $2,908 (Ward C)
- Acute psychotic episode / paranoia: $818 – $4,372 (Ward C)
- Major depression / bipolar disorder: $908 – $3,101 (Ward C)
- Other mood / somatoform disorders: $940 – $3,008 (Ward C)
- Anxiety disorders: $624 – $1,721 (Ward C)
- Eating disorders / OCD: $1,688 – $5,363 (Ward C)
- Personality disorders / acute reactions: $686 – $2,080 (Ward C)
Quick answer: How much does this cost?
Related scenarios
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What if I need psychiatric care?
2:17 AM
You haven't slept properly in two weeks. Your thoughts won't slow down.
Your family says something has to change.
Your family says something has to change.
A referral to the Institute of Mental Health. An assessment that takes most of the morning.
1 in 7
Singaporeans will experience a mental health condition in their lifetime
Inpatient or outpatient care, depending on severity. Medication, therapy, regular follow-ups.
Treatment may include mood stabilisers, antipsychotics, or antidepressants alongside structured therapy — CBT, group sessions, or both.
Mental health conditions are now partially covered under MediShield Life for inpatient psychiatric care
Months of small progress. A version of stability, slowly rebuilt.
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
Schizophrenia
$640 – $2,908
Ward C
Ward C$640 – $2,908
Ward B2$1,884 – $6,428
Acute psychotic episode / paranoia
$818 – $4,372
Ward C
Ward C$818 – $4,372
Ward B2$1,198 – $7,558
Major depression / bipolar disorder
$908 – $3,101
Ward C
Ward C$908 – $3,101
Ward B2$1,453 – $4,910
Ward B1$4,242 – $11,106
Private$4,836 – $13,009
Other mood / somatoform disorders
$940 – $3,008
Ward C
Ward C$940 – $3,008
Ward B2$870 – $2,959
Private$3,599 – $8,930
Anxiety disorders
$624 – $1,721
Ward C
Ward C$624 – $1,721
Ward B2$424 – $1,096
Ward B1$1,496 – $3,498
Private$3,215 – $6,302
Eating disorders / OCD
$1,688 – $5,363
Ward C
Ward C$1,688 – $5,363
Ward B2$2,173 – $6,222
Personality disorders / acute reactions
$686 – $2,080
Ward C
Ward C$686 – $2,080
Ward B2$784 – $1,968
Ward B1$2,733 – $8,917
Private$2,533 – $7,262
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
$5,363
in cash. That's after government subsidies but before any insurance kicks in.
Your ward, your bill
Subsidised · 8-9 beds · After subsidies, before insurance
~3 months
of HDB mortgage
~17%
of avg Medisave
~1.1 months
of median salary
Source: MOH Bill Size Benchmarks · Data period: Jan–Dec 2023 · Compiled by Keith Teo
Make it personal
What does this mean for you?
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$
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
$624 – $5,363
Ward B2 · Subsidised · 6 beds
$424 – $7,558
Ward B1 · Non-subsidised
$1,496 – $11,106
No more subsidies below
Private · Single room
$2,533 – $13,009
up to 2x Ward C
Insurance impact
What insurance actually does
Ward C bill. The bar shows how much you still pay.
$624 – $5,363
No insurance. You pay the full bill out of pocket or Medisave.
Good to know
Average Medisave balance ($31,000) covers this 6x 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.
Psychiatric follow-upsOngoing medicationTherapy sessionsCognitive rehabilitationSupport services
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 the warning signs
For stroke: Face drooping, Arm weakness, Speech difficulty, Time to call 995. For mental health: persistent changes in mood, sleep, or behaviour.
2
Find the right support
IMH, CHAT (for youth), and Samaritans of Singapore (1767) offer free assessments and crisis support.
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.