What if I have a seizure?
What if I have a seizure in Singapore: $359 – $3,110 in a subsidised ward (Ward C), based on MOH Bill Size Benchmarks. Average hospital stay: 4 days.
Seizures and epilepsy requiring hospitalisation and investigation.
Hospital bill by ward class
- Ward C (Subsidised · 8-9 beds): $359 – $3,110
- Ward B2 (Subsidised · 6 beds): $321 – $3,735
- Ward B1 (Non-subsidised): $1,936 – $9,600
- Private (Single room): $4,382 – $53,032
Source: MOH Bill Size Benchmarks, January–December 2023. Costs are after government subsidies but before MediShield Life or private insurance.
Treatment options
- Seizure (with complications): $1,070 – $3,110 (Ward C)
- Seizure (without complications): $595 – $1,458 (Ward C)
- Febrile convulsions (children): $359 – $622 (Ward C)
Scroll
What if I have a seizure?
7:42 AM
You're on the MRT platform. Then you're on the floor, and people are around you.
You don't know how you got there.
You don't know how you got there.
Someone called 995. You're in an ambulance before you're fully aware of what happened.
50 million
people worldwide live with epilepsy
A&E, blood tests, ECG, MRI. Neurologist on call. Anti-seizure medication started.
A first seizure requires investigation to rule out a structural cause — tumour, stroke, or brain injury. Recurrent seizures are managed with anti-epileptic drugs adjusted over time.
Epilepsy affects approximately 1 in 100 people in Singapore and is manageable with treatment for most
Observation overnight. A follow-up with neurology before you can drive 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
Seizure (with complications)
$1,070 – $3,110
Ward C
Ward C$1,070 – $3,110
Ward B2$1,406 – $3,735
Ward B1$3,690 – $9,600
Private$15,182 – $53,032
Seizure (without complications)
$595 – $1,458
Ward C
Ward C$595 – $1,458
Ward B2$607 – $1,791
Ward B1$1,936 – $4,043
Private$6,052 – $13,847
Febrile convulsions (children)
$359 – $622
Ward C
Ward C$359 – $622
Ward B2$321 – $593
Private$4,382 – $7,935
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
$3,110
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
~10%
of avg Medisave
~0.6 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
$359 – $3,110
Ward B2 · Subsidised · 6 beds
$321 – $3,735
Ward B1 · Non-subsidised
$1,936 – $9,600
No more subsidies below
Private · Single room
$4,382 – $53,032
up to 17x Ward C
Insurance impact
What insurance actually does
Ward C bill. The bar shows how much you still pay.
$359 – $3,110
No insurance. You pay the full bill out of pocket or Medisave.
Good to know
Average Medisave balance ($31,000) covers this 10x 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.