What if I get a serious skin condition?
What if I get a serious skin condition in Singapore: $272 – $7,552 in a subsidised ward (Ward C), based on MOH Bill Size Benchmarks. Average hospital stay: 2.7 days.
Skin conditions including ulcers, infections, cellulitis, and major skin disorders.
Hospital bill by ward class
- Ward C (Subsidised · 8-9 beds): $272 – $7,552
- Ward B2 (Subsidised · 6 beds): $237 – $6,593
- Ward B1 (Non-subsidised): $1,026 – $9,581
- Private (Single room): $320 – $39,979
Source: MOH Bill Size Benchmarks, January–December 2023. Costs are after government subsidies but before MediShield Life or private insurance.
Treatment options
- Skin ulcers (catastrophic): $1,765 – $4,818 (Ward C)
- Skin ulcers (non-catastrophic): $941 – $2,678 (Ward C)
- Cellulitis (with complications): $1,014 – $2,730 (Ward C)
- Cellulitis (without complications): $585 – $1,284 (Ward C)
- Skin trauma: $583 – $2,540 (Ward C)
- Major skin disorders: $347 – $7,552 (Ward C)
- Minor skin disorders: $272 – $1,674 (Ward C)
- Non-malignant breast disorders: $396 – $1,976 (Ward C)
- Breast lump biopsy/excision: $1,913 – $6,458 (Ward C)
- Skin/subcutaneous tumour excision: $963 – $2,332 (Ward C)
- Wound repair (deep laceration): $861 – $2,834 (Ward C)
- Skin debridement: $825 – $3,191 (Ward C)
- Abscess drainage (skin): $665 – $1,593 (Ward C)
- Scar revision: $1,528 – $2,492 (Ward C)
- Skin sinus excision:
- Foreign body removal (subcutaneous): $751 – $1,701 (Ward C)
- Skin flap / graft: $1,062 – $4,027 (Ward C)
- Wart / keratosis excision:
- Facial lesion excision:
- Skin lesion excision/biopsy (up to 15mm): $1,536 – $3,489 (Ward C)
- Keratosis/wart/tag excision (>10 lesions):
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What if I get a serious skin condition?
9:00 AM
It spread overnight. What started as a rash is now covering your torso.
Itching, weeping, impossible to ignore.
Itching, weeping, impossible to ignore.
Your GP takes one look and sends you to a dermatologist the same day.
1 in 4
severe skin flares require hospital admission for IV treatment
Admission for wound care, IV medication, and infection control.
Blistering or infected skin is a medical emergency.
Blistering or infected skin is a medical emergency.
Severe eczema, psoriasis, or conditions like Stevens-Johnson syndrome may require hospitalisation, IV steroids, immunosuppressants, or specialised wound dressings.
Skin conditions are among the most common reasons for specialist visits in Singapore
The worst clears. Management is ongoing.
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
Skin ulcers (catastrophic)
$1,765 – $4,818
Ward C
Ward C$1,765 – $4,818
Ward B2$1,942 – $3,784
Skin ulcers (non-catastrophic)
$941 – $2,678
Ward C
Ward C$941 – $2,678
Ward B2$1,181 – $3,326
Cellulitis (with complications)
$1,014 – $2,730
Ward C
Ward C$1,014 – $2,730
Ward B2$1,150 – $3,284
Ward B1$3,172 – $9,370
Private$11,530 – $39,979
Cellulitis (without complications)
$585 – $1,284
Ward C
Ward C$585 – $1,284
Ward B2$737 – $1,670
Ward B1$2,077 – $3,850
Private$4,441 – $13,878
Skin trauma
$583 – $2,540
Ward C
Ward C$583 – $2,540
Ward B2$571 – $3,051
Ward B1$1,345 – $9,331
Private$3,769 – $17,650
Major skin disorders
$347 – $7,552
Ward C
Ward C$347 – $7,552
Ward B2$425 – $6,593
Ward B1$2,082 – $9,581
Private$3,884 – $26,720
Minor skin disorders
$272 – $1,674
Ward C
Ward C$272 – $1,674
Ward B2$237 – $1,712
Ward B1$2,022 – $4,398
Private$2,943 – $12,638
Non-malignant breast disorders
$396 – $1,976
Ward C
Ward C$396 – $1,976
Ward B2$395 – $1,791
Ward B1$1,026 – $3,020
Private$5,844 – $13,196
Breast lump biopsy/excision
$1,913 – $6,458
Ward C
Ward C$1,913 – $6,458
Ward B2$877 – $4,100
Private$2,431 – $22,709
Skin/subcutaneous tumour excision
$963 – $2,332
Ward C
Ward C$963 – $2,332
Ward B2$680 – $1,646
Private$648 – $12,992
Wound repair (deep laceration)
$861 – $2,834
Ward C
Ward C$861 – $2,834
Ward B2$948 – $1,740
Private$467 – $10,949
Skin debridement
$825 – $3,191
Ward C
Ward C$825 – $3,191
Ward B2$1,053 – $3,050
Ward B1$2,197 – $5,784
Private$320 – $17,332
Abscess drainage (skin)
$665 – $1,593
Ward C
Ward C$665 – $1,593
Ward B2$848 – $2,052
Ward B1$2,082 – $4,914
Private$619 – $11,950
Scar revision
$1,528 – $2,492
Ward C
Ward C$1,528 – $2,492
Ward B2$1,622 – $3,103
Private$1,620 – $6,696
Skin sinus excision
$705 – $11,317
Private
Private$705 – $11,317
Foreign body removal (subcutaneous)
$751 – $1,701
Ward C
Ward C$751 – $1,701
Private$715 – $3,136
Skin flap / graft
$1,062 – $4,027
Ward C
Ward C$1,062 – $4,027
Ward B2$909 – $3,716
Private$5,700 – $24,388
Wart / keratosis excision
$550 – $1,930
Private
Private$550 – $1,930
Facial lesion excision
$817 – $1,483
Private
Private$817 – $1,483
Skin lesion excision/biopsy (up to 15mm)
$1,536 – $3,489
Ward C
Ward C$1,536 – $3,489
Ward B2$1,646 – $4,237
Private$756 – $6,860
Keratosis/wart/tag excision (>10 lesions)
$1,972 – $4,374
Private
Private$1,972 – $4,374
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
$7,552
in cash. That's after government subsidies but before any insurance kicks in.
Your ward, your bill
Subsidised · 8-9 beds · After subsidies, before insurance
~4 months
of HDB mortgage
~24%
of avg Medisave
~1.5 months
of median salary
Source: MOH Bill Size Benchmarks · Data period: Jan–Dec 2023 · Compiled by Keith Teo
Make it personal
What does this mean for you?
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$
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
$272 – $7,552
Ward B2 · Subsidised · 6 beds
$237 – $6,593
Ward B1 · Non-subsidised
$1,026 – $9,581
No more subsidies below
Private · Single room
$320 – $39,979
up to 5x Ward C
Insurance impact
What insurance actually does
Ward C bill. The bar shows how much you still pay.
$272 – $7,552
No insurance. You pay the full bill out of pocket or Medisave.
Good to know
Average Medisave balance ($31,000) covers this 4x 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.