What if I get stomach cancer?
What if I get stomach cancer in Singapore: $607 – $12,957 in a subsidised ward (Ward C), based on MOH Bill Size Benchmarks. Average hospital stay: 6.3 days.
Stomach cancer treatment including gastrectomy with lymph node removal and chemotherapy.
Hospital bill by ward class
- Ward C (Subsidised · 8-9 beds): $607 – $12,957
- Ward B2 (Subsidised · 6 beds): $471 – $15,344
- Ward B1 (Non-subsidised): $2,464 – $11,529
- Private (Single room): $1,090 – $70,218
Source: MOH Bill Size Benchmarks, January–December 2023. Costs are after government subsidies but before MediShield Life or private insurance.
Treatment options
- Digestive cancer (medical): $607 – $3,941 (Ward C)
- Subtotal gastrectomy: $6,389 – $12,957 (Ward C)
- Total gastrectomy: $6,653 – $15,344 (Ward B2)
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What if I get stomach cancer?
8:30 PM
You haven't finished a full meal in weeks. Eating feels wrong somewhere you can't place.
Your doctor books you for a scope.
Your doctor books you for a scope.
A gastroscopy. Forceps take a sample from the stomach wall. You wait four days for results.
4
days waiting for the biopsy result
Surgery to remove part or all of the stomach. Chemotherapy before and after.
Depending on stage — subtotal or total gastrectomy, with lymph node removal. Often combined with pre- and post-operative chemotherapy.
Stomach cancer: more common in older Singaporean men
Learning to eat again. Small meals. Slow adjustment.
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
Digestive cancer (medical)
$607 – $3,941
Ward C
Ward C$607 – $3,941
Ward B2$471 – $5,058
Ward B1$2,464 – $11,529
Private$1,090 – $70,218
Subtotal gastrectomy
$6,389 – $12,957
Ward C
Ward C$6,389 – $12,957
Ward B2$5,640 – $13,735
Total gastrectomy
$6,653 – $15,344
Ward B2
Ward B2$6,653 – $15,344
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
$12,957
in cash. That's after government subsidies but before any insurance kicks in.
Your ward, your bill
Subsidised · 8-9 beds · After subsidies, before insurance
~7 months
of HDB mortgage
~42%
of avg Medisave
~2.6 months
of median salary
Source: MOH Bill Size Benchmarks · Data period: Jan–Dec 2023 · Compiled by Keith Teo
Make it personal
What does this mean for you?
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$
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
$607 – $12,957
Ward B2 · Subsidised · 6 beds
$471 – $15,344
Ward B1 · Non-subsidised
$2,464 – $11,529
No more subsidies below
Private · Single room
$1,090 – $70,218
up to 5x Ward C
Insurance impact
What insurance actually does
Ward C bill. The bar shows how much you still pay.
$607 – $12,957
No insurance. You pay the full bill out of pocket or Medisave.
Good to know
Average Medisave balance ($31,000) covers this 2x 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.
Chemotherapy cyclesOncology follow-upsTargeted medicationRadiation sessionsScreening scans
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
Ask about screening
Early detection saves lives and money. Ask your GP about age-appropriate cancer screening programmes available in Singapore.
2
Understand your treatment options
Different treatments have very different costs. Ask your oncologist to walk through the options and their bill implications.
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.