Frequently Asked Questions

If your company/ insurer has a credit facility with the hospital, your employer/ insurer may send us a Letter of Guarantee (LOG) upon your admission. Depending on the policy of your medical benefits, you may need to sign the Medisave Authorisation Form or even pay a portion of the bill by cash upon discharge.

The hospital will send the final bill to your company/ insurer after your discharge.

If your company/ insurer does not issue a LOG, you need to settle the bill in full by Medisave and/or cash upon discharge. The hospital will send you a final bill which may be used to submit to your company/ insurer for claims.

A Letter of Guarantee (LOG) is a letter from your company/ insurer to the Hospital stating the amount the company/ insurer is paying for the patient, co-payment required from patient (if any) and other terms and conditions. The hospital will then bill your company/ insurer accordingly. Whether you need to settle the bill upon discharge will depend on the terms and conditions of your policy as stated in the LOG. Please note that the hospital has the right to reject a LOG if the company/ insurer does not have a credit facility with us.

From 1 Nov 2015, all Singapore Citizens and Permanent Residents are covered under MediShield Life – a basic national health insurance plan administered by Central Provident Fund (CPF) Board. As its coverage is sized for subsidised treatment in public Hospitals, CPF members who wish to enjoy additional private insurance coverage can also use their Medisave savings to purchase Medisave-approved IPs.

Coverage for each IP may differ as it depends on the benefits that you have chosen. Participating insurers for IPs are as follows:

• AlA Singapore
• Aviva
• AXA Life
• Great Eastern Life
• NTUC Income
• Prudential Assurance

For more information on MediShield Life and IPs, you can visit www.medishieldlife.sg.

You need to inform the Business Office staff that you are insured under the scheme and you wish to make a claim. You will be required to sign the authorisation form. We will submit your claim electronically after your discharge. After determining the amount payable from the private insurer, the private insurer will make payment directly to us. We will send you a final bill indicating the approved claims. If there is any reimbursement, patients will be refunded by cheque.

You may contact your insurer prior to your admission to clarify if your IP can cover you for private hospitalisation. At the point of admission, our Business Office staff can also assist you in checking whether you have an IP after getting your authorisation on the Medical Claims Authorisation Form (MCAF).

Admission

If you have an IP, our Business Office staff will assist you in applying for an eLOG (Letter of Guarantee)* at the point of admission after getting your authorisation. If you are eligible for eLOG and the amount is sufficient to cover the deposit required, no upfront payment is required.

Inflight

In the event of extended length of stay, we can also help to apply for additional eLOG (applicable to certain insurers only)*. Similarly, no top-up deposit is required if the additional eLOG amount is sufficient to cover the revised estimated bill size.

Discharge

On your discharge day, we will re-apply the eLOG if the actual bill size deviates from the initial estimation. Payment is required if your eLOG is unsuccessful or insufficient to cover the balance payable.

In summary, all IPs are on reimbursement basis. If your eLOG amount covers the deposit/balance payable required, you would not need to make any upfront payment to the Hospital.

* Approvals for eLOG/additional eLOG are subject to patients’ policies and insurers’ terms and conditions. There is generally a maximum limit for eLOG, and the amount varies across different insurers.

There are certain circumstances that eLOG is declined such as your plan falls within the applicable policy deductible. You may contact your insurer directly to clarify your policy benefits and entitlement.

We will e-file* your claim electronically after your discharge. After assessing the amount payable from your insurer, the private insurer will make payment directly to us. You will receive a final bill indicating the approved claims in approximately 2 weeks to a month’s time.

* For inpatients, a minimum stay of 8 hours is required for claims to be e-filed

If you have made payment during the stay and your insurer covers the bill in full, a refund cheque will be sent to you together with the final bill. On the other hand, if no or partial payment was made during the stay (depending on the eLOG amount), and the claim payout is insufficient to cover the bill in full, you would need to settle the balance outstanding.

If your bill has been e-filed to your IP insurer, you can submit your claims to your company insurer after receiving the final bill from us. Your company insurer will then reimburse to your IP accordingly.

Issuance of eLOG does not mean that your insurer has approved the claim. The final payout is subject to their review and assessment when the Hospital e-files the claim after your discharge. The actual payout may deviate from the eLOG amount issued during your stay. You may wish to approach your insurer for their professional advice pertaining to your policies and claim payout.

As policy details are confidential to policy holders, the Hospital is unable to obtain detailed information from your insurer pertaining to your policy. You may contact your insurer directly for their advice should you need further information pertaining to your policy or coverage.

Things to note

Please fast from 10pm the night before. Only plain water is permitted. This ensures accuracy of your blood test results for glucose, cholesterol and triglycerides.

If your package includes stool analysis, avoid red meat and iron supplements for 3 days. Collect the stool sample (about half a teaspoon), in a sterile plastic container provided by the hospital, the night before or on the morning of the appointment.

The entire screening process may take 3 to 4.5 hours, depending on the package selected.

Do not consume any medication or supplements on the day of screening. You may resume consumption of your medication after screening is completed.

If you are feeling unwell, please reschedule your appointment as fitness and medications such as antibiotics may affect your screening results.

Your urine specimen will only be collected in a sterile container provided on screening day.

Light breakfast will be provided after screening.

What to bring

• EMPLOYEES OF CORPORATE CLIENTS
  • Please bring along your company letter, authorisation letter or staff pass, where applicable.
• PRIVATE PATIENTS
  • Please bring any of the following documents for verification and registration:
    • Singapore NRIC/ Passport/ Employment Pass/ Work Permit / Visit Pass (for foreigners).
    • Previous medical reports, x-ray / ultrasound scan films and laboratory results
    • Long term medications or names of medications for doctor’s documentation.
    • Stool sample in a sterile plastic container provided by the hospital, collected no more than 24 hours before screening.
    • Reading glasses or contact lenses for vision check.
    • Running attire (T-shirts, shorts and track shoes) if your package includes a treadmill stress test.
    • Letter of Guarantee from your Insurance Company, if applicable.

Special Instructions for Ladies

Screening should preferably be done few days after your last day of menstruation.

Please inform our staff should you be menstruating on the day of screening. Pap smear, urine and stool tests will be postponed as the presence of blood will affect the outcome of the tests.

Please postpone your appointment if you are pregnant or notify us on arrival if you suspect you are pregnant.

Drink 4 to 8 cups of water if your package includes a pelvis ultrasound, as a full bladder is required for the scan.

Do not apply talcum powder, deodorant or body lotion on the day of mammogram examination.

Treadmill Stress Testing

It may take 45-60 minutes to complete (excluding waiting time).

Please bring along your running attire (T-shirts, shorts and track shoes)

Do not take any medication prior to your treadmill test.

If you are recuperating from any injury (eg back, leg, eye etc), please postpone the test.

A health screening is the first step to safeguarding your health. Early detection and timely intervention pave the way for early treatment and can reduce future complications and treatment cost. Alvernia Health Screening Physician Dr Ang Geok Lian explains why it is important to be proactive and to take the first step to primary prevention with regular health screening.

What is health screening?

Health screening involves the use of a patient’s history, physical examinations and tests to detect disease early in people who look or feel well.

I feel well. Why do I need to go for a health screening?

A health screening helps you find out if you have a particular disease or condition. Sometimes, you may not show any signs of symptoms or disease. Early detection, followed by treatment and control of the condition can result in good outcome and lowers the risk of serious complications. Certain chronic diseases such as diabetes take time to develop and if detected early can be better managed with less complications and improved long term outcomes. Cancer starts small and by the time a patient feels pain, bloated or an obvious lump, the cancer may already be at an advanced stage.

A person who exercises regularly and watches his or her diet is more likely to prevent cancer and other chronic diseases like hypertension and diabetes. However, a disease such as cancer can sometimes be totally unexpected. For example, 10% to 15% of lung cancer occurs in non-smokers, especially in Asian women. That is why it is important to get screened even when you feel perfectly healthy.

When should a person start thinking of health screening?

If there is no significant family history of cancer or early heart disease, we encourage young adults under 30 years old to go for health screening every two years, yearly PAP smear test and monthly breast self-examinations. A yearly health screening is suggested for adults over 30 years old.

Many conditions such as diabetes and high blood cholesterol often have no early signs or symptoms.
Planning your health screening in advance can make a difference to your quality of life and ultimately your health as well.

Why do I need to go for health screening at recommended frequencies?

A health screening will only pick up health conditions that are present at the time of screening. Regular screening helps to detect conditions that may develop after the previous screening. That is why it is important to go for screenings at the recommended frequency.

If a patient is asymptomatic, would discovery of a disease increase his stress level?

In the immediate aftermath, a patient may feel apprehensive knowing he has, for example, diabetes or cancer. It is my experience that most patients are actually very thankful that a potentially serious medical problem has been picked up early during a health screening. In fact, most patients will go back and strongly encourage their relatives and friends to go for health screening as well. The doctor handling the consultation also needs to be very tactful in balancing medical facts and giving hope or encouragement to the patient.

There are many health screening packages. How do I select the right health screening package for me?

This will depend on family history (if there is a history of cancer, diabetes or heart disease in the family history), age (older patients tend to develop more problems such as glaucoma), lifestyle (smokers and those who lead a sedentary lifestyle) and any present health complaints.

What is expected during the health screening process?

During registration, our trained counter staff will discuss a suitable health screening package with the patient. This can be subject to changes after consultation with the doctor. Blood, urine and stool tests will then be collected followed by X-rays, ultrasound, CT scans and eye screening. In between these tests, the patient will see the doctor for a full consultation and physical examination. We do our best to ensure that waiting times at the different stations are kept to a minimum. We also have a beautifully designed waiting lounge where patients can have a healthy breakfast of porridge, sandwiches and fruits.

You can apply for the Baby Bonus online at https://www.babybonus.msf.gov.sg using your Singpass account. Please make sure you have the following documents ready to complete application :

1. Bank Account Holder’s account details to receive the cash gift
2. Personal particulars of the Bank Account Holder and CDA Trustee, if they are a third party (i.e. not the child’s parent)
3. Adoption Order and Schedule (if your child is adopted)
4. Marriage Certificate (for overseas marriage)

For more information, please visit http://www.ifaq.gov.sg/BBSS/apps/fcd_faqmain.aspx or visit the official website at https://www.babybonus.msf.gov.sg/parent/index.html.

All parents, regardless of their immigration or marital status (with or without Singpass), must register the birth of their child via the LifeSG app within 42 days.

Please visit https://www.life.gov.sg/#ways-we-help for more information on this service or download the app to use the service now.

Download

Please visit Register your child’s birth | LifeSG – Services to find out more on the required documents. All parents must register the birth of their child via the LifeSG app within 42 days.

Register your child’s birth | LifeSG – Services Every baby born in Singapore must be registered within 42 days from the date of birth. Registration costs S$18 per child, and the child will be issued with a digital birth certificate. www.life.gov.sg

You need to inform the Business Office that you are insured under the scheme and you wish to make a claim. We will submit your claim to CPF Board after your discharge. After determining the amount payable from Medishield, CPF Board will make payment directly to us. We will send you a final bill indicating the MediShield claims. If there is any reimbursement, patients will be refunded by cheque.

Yes. You are allowed to claim an additional $900 from Medisave for antenatal care if you submit your antenatal receipts to us during admission. This will be used to offset your hospital charges.

In order for Medisave to cover for your hospital bills, you must be hospitalised for at least 8 hours.

For inpatients, Medisave covers up to $450 per day ($400 for hospital charges, $50 for doctors’ daily attendance fees).

For day surgery, Medisave covers up to $300 ($270 for hospital charges, $30 for doctor’s attendance fee).

The use of Medisave for psychiatric treatment is subject to a withdrawal limit of $150 per day and a maximum of $5,000 per year.

For delivery, please note that for the 5^th and subsequent child, the parents will need to have a combined Medisave balance of at least $15,000 at the time of delivery.

Medisave can be used for Medisave account holders or their dependants. Dependants refer to spouse, children, parents and grandparents. Grandparents must be Singaporeans or Singapore Permanent Residents.

You need to give authorization to the Business Office to deduct from Medisave. The form can be obtained from the Business Office. If you are a Singapore Citizen / PR, you need to produce your NRIC. If you are a foreigner, you need to give us your CPF Membership number.

Medisave can be used for the following hospital charges:

• Daily ward charges
• Doctor’s fees
• Surgical operations including the use of operating theatres; and in-patient charges for medical treatment, investigations, medicines, rehabilitation services, medical supplies, implants and prostheses introduced during surgery

Note: For a hospitalisation claim, the patient must have stayed in the hospital for at least 8 hours (unless the patient is admitted for day surgery).

If you are claiming from Medisave or paying the bill fully by cash, you will receive the final bill within 10 days from the day you are discharged from hospital. If you are claiming from MediShield / PMI, the final bill will only be sent to you after all claims are processed, which takes about 1 month. Please note that processing of claims may take longer if the insurer requires clarifications on the medical claims.

The deposit will be used to offset your hospital bill. If the deposit is more than the Final Bill size, the Hospital will refund you by cheque after your discharge. Otherwise, you will need to top up the balance.

For maternity cases, the deposit will depend on the type of delivery package. Please click HERE for details.

For transfer/evacuation cases, the deposit will be the higher of 80% of the 90^th percentile of the estimated hospital charges on admission or $50,000.

An initial deposit is payable upon admission. This will be based on

• 50% of the 90^th percentile of the estimated hospital charges on admission
• 80% of the 90^th percentile of the estimated charges for Neurosurgery, Cardiosurgery and NICU cases on admission

Payment at Business Office (open 24 hours everyday): By cash, cheque, NETS or credit card.

Payment by Phonelink: If you hold a Visa, MasterCard or American Express credit card, all you need to do is to give us the authorization and provide us your card number and expiry date. We will then deduct the outstanding amount from your card.

Funds transfer via ATM, Internet Banking and iNETS Kiosk: You may obtain our bank account number from our staff at Business Office for funds transfer. However you need to inform our staff the bill number and the amount you are paying after you have done the transfer in order for us to update your records.

A typical hospital bill may include accommodation, laboratory tests, diagnostic imaging services, use of the operating theatre, equipment usage, medicines, nursing services, doctors’ professional fees and anaesthetist fees.

You will be given financial counselling on the estimated hospital bill upon your admission. Your actual bill will depend on the type of accommodation, estimated length of stay, diagnosis, type of operation and procedures ordered by your doctor upon admission.

For deliveries, click here for our maternity package details