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Singapore does not have a public healthcare system, so you don’t need a health card. Medisave is a national programme that requires Singaporeans to set a portion of their income aside in a medical savings scheme, but this only applies to Singapore citizens and permanent residents; expats living in Singapore on an employment pass or dependant’s pass are not eligible.

When using the healthcare services, such as government and private hospitals and clinics, you should bring along your passport and green card (employment pass, dependant pass or long-term social visit pass). If you have health insurance through your employer or a personal insurance plan, make sure that you know what steps you should take to be reimbursed by your insurance company. In some cases you are required to notify your insurance company prior to undertaking any medical services, while in other cases you must notify the insurer within a maximum number of days following medical treatment. See Health Insurance on p.71 for more information.

Both public and private hospitals generally provide emergency medical treatment before dealing with matters of insurance and payment. But if your situation isn’t deemed to be critical, you will probably need to provide payment or prove that your medical insurance will cover costs before you will be treated. For more information, see Emergency Services on p.138.