MOH reviewing overseas MediSave scheme ahead of RTS Link opening as cross-border patient flow set to rise

SINGAPORE: Singapore’s Ministry of Health is reviewing its overseas MediSave scheme in anticipation of increased cross-border patient flow once the Johor Bahru-Singapore Rapid Transit System Link opens in January 2027, Health Minister Ong Ye Kung said in a written parliamentary reply on Wednesday, according to CNA.

Mr Ong, who is also Coordinating Minister for Social Policies, was responding to a question from MP Hamid Razak (PAP-West Coast-Jurong West GRC) on whether the expected increase in patient movement via the RTS Link warranted changes to the scheme's framework.

The overseas MediSave scheme allows Singapore patients to use their MediSave for elective treatments at participating overseas hospitals, provided those hospitals have an approved working arrangement with a MediSave-accredited institution in Singapore. The local partner must refer the patient and provide a pre-admission clinical assessment and financial counselling before the overseas treatment takes place. MediSave withdrawal limits that apply in Singapore also apply to overseas treatments.

Currently, two Malaysian hospitals, Mahkota Medical Centre and Regency Specialist Hospital, participate through their MediSave-accredited local partner, HMI Medical Centre. Since the scheme was introduced in 2010, no new local providers have been accredited, while one withdrew in 2023, Mr Ong said.

Low utilisation, but rising demand

Despite the scheme being in place for over 15 years, utilisation has remained relatively modest, averaging about 300 claims a year from 2023 to 2025, mainly for obstetrics and gynaecology treatments, CNA reported.

However, demand appears to be growing. Regency Specialist Hospital in Johor Bahru told CNA in August that the number of Singapore patients using MediSave at its facility had doubled since the COVID-19 pandemic. The hospital said approximately 90% of its MediSave patients were women, with maternity care and gynaecology among the most commonly sought services.

The RTS Link factor

The 4 km RTS Link, connecting Bukit Chagar in Johor Bahru with Woodlands North in Singapore, is projected to carry up to 10,000 passengers per hour in each direction, with a journey time of approximately five minutes. Daily ridership is projected at around 40,000 when operations begin.

That level of connectivity is expected to significantly lower the practical barrier to seeking medical treatment across the Causeway, making the current framework, built around a much smaller volume of cross-border patients, worth revisiting before the link opens.

MOH said it is currently reviewing the scheme in light of the expected increase in patient flow, though Mr Ong did not specify what changes, if any, are being considered. The review’s outcome is likely to have implications for how Singapore residents access and fund healthcare in Johor, which is a question that will become more pressing as the RTS Link brings the two cities functionally closer together.