Hospital bills for heart failure can easily cross five figures, but the real story starts much earlier—with everyday risk factors that quietly weaken the heart over time.
Singapore’s latest national health data shows that cardiovascular disease already accounts for about one-third of all deaths, with heart attacks and strokes leading the pack. The conditions that push people towards these events are widespread according to the Atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease landscape in Singapore:
Specialists from the National Heart Centre Singapore note that many people carry more than one of these “three highs,” often alongside smoking and sedentary lifestyles, compounding their long-term risk of heart attacks and heart failure. Over years, uncontrolled blood pressure, sugar, and cholesterol damage blood vessels and heart muscle, making hospitalisation far more likely.
When heart failure becomes serious enough to require an inpatient stay for heart failure and shock with major complications (DRG F62A), costs diverge sharply depending on where and how you are treated. All figures are based on Ministry of Health (MOH) hospital bill benchmarks.
| Setting | Ward Type | Typical Bill | Typical Bill Range |
|---|---|---|---|
| Public Hospitals | Ward B2 | $2,373 | $1,484 - $3,633 |
| Public Hospitals | Ward C | $1,936 | $1,240 - $3,113 |
| Public Hospitals | Ward A | $9,080 | $6,235 - $13,099 |
| Public Hospitals | Ward B1 | $6,718 | $4,250 - $10,402 |
| Private Hospitals | Inpatient | $25,544 | $15,242 - $58,701 |
These are median bills, half of patients pay less and half pay more, so a complicated case or longer ICU stay can easily land above the “typical” range.
Subsidised B2 and C wards keep costs far lower, especially when combined with government subsidies and mandatory insurance.
| Hospital | Ward Type | Average Stay (days) | Typical Bill | Typical Bill Range |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alexandra Hospital | Ward C | 10.1 | $1,823 | $1,164 - $3,032 |
| Changi General Hospital | Ward C | 8.5 | $2,373 | $1,680 - $3,530 |
| Khoo Teck Puat Hospital | Ward C | 10.3 | $2,153 | $1,515 - $3,343 |
| National Heart Centre | Ward C | 8.0 | $2,342 | $1,621 - $3,490 |
| National University Hospital | Ward C | 7.4 | $1,577 | $1,028 - $2,687 |
| Ng Teng Fong General Hospital | Ward C | 6.3 | $1,330 | $860 - $2,252 |
| Sengkang General Hospital | Ward C | 9.8 | $2,423 | $1,717 - $3,499 |
| Singapore General Hospital | Ward C | 10.3 | $2,371 | $1,555 - $4,080 |
| Tan Tock Seng Hospital | Ward C | 11.0 | $2,008 | $1,381 - $3,086 |
| Hospital | Ward Type | Average Stay (days) | Typical Bill | Typical Bill Range |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Changi General Hospital | Ward B2 | 8.6 | $2,576 | $1,909 - $3,469 |
| Khoo Teck Puat Hospital | Ward B2 | 12.5 | $2,688 | $1,779 - $3,637 |
| National Heart Centre | Ward B2 | 7.9 | $2,688 | $1,805 - $3,991 |
| National University Hospital | Ward B2 | 7.3 | $1,793 | $1,061 - $3,121 |
| Sengkang General Hospital | Ward B2 | 6.6 | $2,468 | $1,578 - $4,407 |
| Singapore General Hospital | Ward B2 | 9.6 | $2,894 | $1,996 - $5,613 |
| Tan Tock Seng Hospital | Ward B2 | 10.3 | $2,298 | $1,474 - $3,629 |
If you prefer more privacy and amenities, costs rise quickly.
| Hospital | Ward Type | Average Stay (days) | Typical Bill | Typical Bill Range |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| National University Hospital | Ward A | 7.1 | $8,696 | $5,752 - $15,571 |
| Tan Tock Seng Hospital | Ward A | 9.3 | $9,910 | $8,261 - $11,603 |
| Changi General Hospital | Ward B1 | 9.3 | $5,992 | $4,284 - $9,702 |
| National Heart Centre | Ward B1 | 9.2 | $9,399 | $6,102 - $15,505 |
| Tan Tock Seng Hospital | Ward B1 | 7.6 | $6,267 | $3,600 - $8,902 |
For patients in B2/C wards, the combination of subsidies and MediShield Life typically covers a substantial portion of bills, though there are deductibles and co-insurance to pay. Choosing A/B1 wards or private hospitals often requires topping up with Integrated Shield Plans (IPs) and optional riders to keep out-of-pocket costs manageable. An overview of Singapore’s health financing and MediShield Life provides more context on these schemes.
However, from 2026, newly issued IP riders will follow tighter rules aimed at curbing over-consumption and rising premiums. According to Rajah & Tann Asia, new riders will no longer be able to completely remove deductibles, minimum co-payments will be higher, and annual out-of-pocket caps will rise. While these changes may lead to lower rider premiums, new plans will not offer the "zero-co-pay" coverage common in the past.
With major heart-risk conditions affecting a large share of the population, it is crucial to both manage health proactively and choose a level of hospital coverage that remains affordable decades into the future.
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