What if I need sinus surgery?
What if I need sinus surgery in Singapore: $1,051 – $4,787 in a subsidised ward (Ward C), based on MOH Bill Size Benchmarks. Average hospital stay: 1 days.
Sinus surgery for chronic sinusitis, nasal polyps, or deviated septum.
Hospital bill by ward class
- Ward C (Subsidised · 8-9 beds): $1,051 – $4,787
- Ward B2 (Subsidised · 6 beds): $1,099 – $4,577
- Private (Single room): $1,161 – $34,335
Source: MOH Bill Size Benchmarks, January–December 2023. Costs are after government subsidies but before MediShield Life or private insurance.
Treatment options
- Fronto-nasal ethmoidectomy: $2,153 – $4,787 (Ward C)
- Turbinectomy / turbinoplasty: $1,051 – $1,615 (Ward C)
- Nasal polyp removal:
- Functional sinuscopic ethmoidectomy (unilateral): $1,997 – $3,590 (Ward C)
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What if I need sinus surgery?
7:20 AM
Blocked for months. Constant pressure behind your eyes. Antibiotics keep failing.
Your ENT specialist recommends a CT scan.
Your ENT specialist recommends a CT scan.
Chronic sinusitis, confirmed. The scans show the blockage. Surgery is the next step.
90
percent of patients report improved symptoms after sinus surgery
Endoscopic surgery through the nostrils — no visible cuts. One night in hospital.
Functional endoscopic sinus surgery (FESS) widens the sinus openings to improve drainage and airflow. Sometimes combined with turbinate reduction or polyp removal.
Chronic sinusitis affects an estimated 1 in 7 adults — and is significantly underdiagnosed
Two weeks of nasal rinses twice a day. Slowly, you can breathe 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
Fronto-nasal ethmoidectomy
$2,153 – $4,787
Ward C
Ward C$2,153 – $4,787
Ward B2$2,338 – $4,577
Private$17,767 – $34,335
Turbinectomy / turbinoplasty
$1,051 – $1,615
Ward C
Ward C$1,051 – $1,615
Ward B2$1,099 – $1,555
Private$2,203 – $14,518
Nasal polyp removal
$1,161 – $2,294
Private
Private$1,161 – $2,294
Functional sinuscopic ethmoidectomy (unilateral)
$1,997 – $3,590
Ward C
Ward C$1,997 – $3,590
Ward B2$1,473 – $2,568
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
$4,787
in cash. That's after government subsidies but before any insurance kicks in.
Your ward, your bill
Subsidised · 8-9 beds · After subsidies, before insurance
~3 months
of HDB mortgage
~15%
of avg Medisave
~1 months
of median salary
Source: MOH Bill Size Benchmarks · Data period: Jan–Dec 2023 · Compiled by Keith Teo
Make it personal
What does this mean for you?
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$
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
$1,051 – $4,787
Ward B2 · Subsidised · 6 beds
$1,099 – $4,577
No more subsidies below
Private · Single room
$1,161 – $34,335
up to 7x Ward C
Insurance impact
What insurance actually does
Ward C bill. The bar shows how much you still pay.
$1,051 – $4,787
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.
Wound carePhysiotherapyPain managementFollow-up imagingSpecialist 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
Get a second opinion
For elective surgery, a second opinion costs $100-$300 and can save you thousands if an alternative approach exists.
2
Ask about day surgery
Many procedures that used to require overnight stays are now done as day surgery, significantly reducing the bill.
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.