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JB hospital sees surge in Singapore patients using MediSave for treatment
🇸🇬 Singapore /Health & Science

JB hospital sees surge in Singapore patients using MediSave for treatment

From CNA · () English

Summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

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  • The number of Singaporean patients using MediSave for treatment at a private hospital in Johor Bahru has doubled since the COVID-19 pandemic.
  • Regency Specialist Hospital, the only facility in JB participating in Singapore's overseas MediSave scheme, reports about 90% of these patients are women, primarily seeking obstetrics and gynaecology services.
  • While cost and currency exchange rates are factors, the hospital emphasizes that quality, safety, and doctor expertise are also crucial considerations for cross-border healthcare.

Johor Bahru's Regency Specialist Hospital has seen a doubling of Singaporean patients utilizing their MediSave accounts for treatment since the COVID-19 pandemic. The hospital, which is the sole facility in the Malaysian city currently part of Singapore's overseas MediSave scheme, noted that approximately 90% of these patients are women.

I would say that dollar to dollar is about the same, maybe 10 per cent more (for JB). But you know, in terms of currency, it's already one-third.

— Serena YongRegency Specialist Hospital CEO Serena Yong discusses the cost considerations for Singaporeans seeking treatment in Johor Bahru.

Obstetrics and gynaecology services, including maternity care, are among the most common reasons for Singaporeans seeking treatment. While the hospital did not disclose specific patient numbers, it handles between 150 to 200 international patients daily, with a significant portion coming from Singapore and Indonesia.

The quality, the safety, the accessibility of the doctors, the skills are also very important parts of the consideration.

— Serena YongRegency Specialist Hospital CEO Serena Yong advises patients to consider factors beyond just cost when choosing healthcare providers across the Causeway.

Serena Yong, CEO of Regency Specialist Hospital, highlighted that affordability and accessibility across the Causeway are key drivers for patients. She explained that while direct currency exchange makes Malaysian treatments about one-third cheaper, the overall cost might be only about 10% higher than in Singapore. However, Yong stressed that patients should weigh factors beyond just price, emphasizing the importance of quality, safety, and the skills of the medical professionals.

The entire treatment cost is not just a procedure price, but it consists of consultation, pre-op test, the procedure itself, hospital stay, anaesthetist, specialist fees, medication, and follow-up visits, or even complications.

— Francis HoanFrancis Hoan, associate director of financial advisory at Financial Alliance, explains the components of total healthcare costs.

A 2025 study by the ISEAS-Yusof Ishak Institute indicated potential savings ranging from 24% to 74% for procedures in Malaysia compared to Singapore, with IVF showing the highest savings. However, financial advisory expert Francis Hoan cautioned that sticker prices can be misleading. He advised comparing total treatment costs, which include consultations, pre-operative tests, hospital stays, specialist fees, medication, and potential complications, rather than just the procedure price.

Don’t compare just the sticker price but compare the total cost.

— Francis HoanFrancis Hoan advises patients to consider the comprehensive cost of treatment when comparing healthcare options.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by CNA. Summarized and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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