In Singapore, Medisave is a national medical savings scheme. It allows Singaporeans or Permanent Residents to pay for potential hospitalization, day surgery, and outpatient expenses to set aside any income in their Medisave Accounts. As such, you can also pay for some dental services using Medisave as well. We will clarify which dental services below are claimed by Medisave.
To pay for hospitalization and selected outpatient expenses incurred at any accredited hospital in Singapore, you can use your Medisave or your immediate family member. Medisave will only be claimed for hospitalization costs if the patient remains in the hospital for at least 8 hours (unless the patient is admitted for day surgery).
Medisave can be used to pay for such dental surgical procedures/day operations, such as:
- Dental Implants Medisave
- Wisdom Tooth Surgeries
- Surgical Removal of Retained Roots/Fractured Teeth
- Bone Graft
- Sinus Lift
- Gum Surgery
Even if your own is inadequate, you can use your immediate family member’s Medisave. Your spouse, parents, or child are referred to by close family members. However, please note that, depending on your account balance, the use of Medisave is subject to approval. The patient or the Medisave Account holder must fill in the appropriate Medisave Authorization Form and sign it.
How to claim for dental procedures from Medisave
Firstly, you can tell the medical institution that you want to demand from your Medisave during payment or when being released.
The medical institution will then ask you to sign the Authorization Form for Medical Claims (MCAF). This form authorizes the clinic or hospital to pay the bill using your Medisave funds. Finally, after the payment has been processed, you will be sent a Medisave Claims Statement, and it will show you:
- The medical establishment where the patient has been admitted,
- The name and the name of the patient you paid for,
- The sum of your Medisave deducted.
Also, the medical establishment should:
- Notify you or the patient of the incurred bill,
- Confirm your name (the account holder for Medisave) with you,
- Inform you of the amount deducted from your Medisave and of the amount deducted from your Medisave.
- You and the patient should be told of any unpaid bills to be charged.
Can I pay for my tooth extraction by using Medisave?
For operations/day procedures, you can use Medisave only. You would also not be allowed to use the Medisave deduction for easy extraction(s) of teeth that do not require surgery.
Can I use Medisave for root canal care, braces, or dental crowns?
Unfortunately, as per CPF, you can also use Medisave to assert non-surgical dental procedures. Medisave can therefore not be used for:
- Root canal non-surgical treatment
- Braces (metal or Invisalign)
- Bridges, dental crowns, or dentures
Lastly, how much is Medisave going to pay me?
Your surgical procedure depends on the sum you can demand (as illustrated in the table above). Therefore, upon completion of the procedure, the attending dentist will determine the amount claimable.
