MOH: Unvaccinated People Who End Up in ICU Could Face $25,000 Bill Before Subsidies

Those of us who are concerned about contracting COVID-19 are mainly worried about the effect it will have on our health or our loves ones if we spread it to them.

Fortunately, because the government is footing the medical bill for COVID-19 patients, those who test positive for the disease don’t have to worry about the cost of their medical treatment.

However, from 8 Dec this year, this courtesy will only be extended to those who are fully vaccinated.

That’s right, if you choose not to get inoculated and contract the virus, you will have to pay your own medical bill, and it’s not going to be cheap.

MOH: Unvaccinated People Who End Up in ICU Could Face $25,000 Bill Before Subsidies

In fact, a COVID-19 patient typically racks up a hospital bill of $25,000 before subsidies if they end up in the intensive care unit (ICU), according to the Ministry of Health (MOH).

MOH said that this is the median acute hospital bill size for those who require both ICU care and COVID-19 therapeutics.

With government subsidies and MediShield Life coverage, this amount can be reduced to around $2,000 to $4,000, which COVID-19 patients can pay for using their MediSave balance.

And it’s not just in hospitals where unvaccinated COVID-19 patients will have to fork out large amounts for their stay. The bill for those sent to a COVID-19 treatment facility can go up to $4,500 for a one-week stay.

“For Singapore citizens, after subsidies and MediShield Life where applicable, the co-payment is around $1,000,” the ministry said.

Of course, the size of the bill depends on the severity of the patient’s illness, as well as the type of facility where they are cared for.

An “Important Signal” to Get Vaccinated

At the moment, the government covers the full medical bill of all Singaporeans, permanent residents (PRs), and long-term pass holders who end up being treated for COVID-19 in healthcare facilities.

This is provided they have not tested positive or had onset of coronavirus symptoms within 14 days of arrival in Singapore after travelling abroad.

The government will continue with this measure, but only for fully vaccinated individuals. As for those who are partially vaccinated, their medical bills will be covered until 31 Dec, so they have time to complete their vaccination regimen.

The only exception would be community isolation facilities, where only travellers and short-term visitors are charged for their stays, regardless of vaccinations status.

When the authorities announced this new measure, Health Minister Onge Ye Kung said they had to send this “important signal”, to urge all those who are medically eligible for vaccination to get their jabs.

“Currently, unvaccinated persons make up a sizeable majority of those who require intensive inpatient care, and disproportionately contribute to the strain on our healthcare resources,” the ministry said.

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