Previously, I shared some difficulties encountered when claiming insurance for treatments involving drugs not on the non-cancer drug list (non-CDL). Firstly, if you haven’t purchased an IP hospitalisation plan rider, these costs cannot be reimbursed. Even if you have a rider, the rider’s terms have their own definition of “non-cancer drug list,” and only drugs that meet the criteria and are recognized as effective by authoritative cancer guidelines can be reimbursed. This definition is actually quite vague, as treatment methods are constantly evolving and cancer guidelines are frequently updated—even the attending doctor may sometimes be unsure whether a drug is covered by insurance.

After more than two months of review following the claim submission, the costs for the non-CDL drug treatment I used have finally been reimbursed.

This made me reflect on how, under Singapore’s current policies and insurance products, one can structure insurance coverage to better cover cancer treatment costs.

MediShield Life Cancer Treatment Coverage

MediShield Life mainly covers cancer treatment costs in B2 and C wards of public hospitals. Its coverage limits are set based on expenses after government subsidies. For drugs within the CDL (Cancer Drug List), the reimbursement limit is higher, but if the medication is not on the CDL, you’ll have to pay those costs out of pocket.

IP Hospitalisation Plan (Main Plan) Cancer Treatment Coverage

The main plan of an IP hospitalisation plan (Integrated Shield Plan) allows you to choose higher-class wards in public hospitals or even private hospitals, with higher reimbursement limits. If your treatment and medication are on the CDL, the main IP plan’s coverage is usually sufficient.

However, like MediShield Life, the main IP plan cannot cover cancer drugs outside the CDL. If your treatment requires non-CDL drugs, you’ll still need to bear those costs yourself.

IP Rider Cancer Treatment Coverage

Some IP riders can cover insurance products for non-CDL cancer drugs. Some companies’ riders even provide additional reimbursement limits for alternative cancer therapies. But note that “non-CDL” also has its own definition, and not all cancer treatments are covered by the rider.

Of course, rider premiums increase with age, and the cost may become burdensome as you get older, which is something to consider in advance.

Critical Illness or Cancer Insurance Coverage

There is a lot of uncertainty in cancer treatment, especially in late stages when standard treatments fail and experimental treatments may be the only option. At this point, critical illness insurance or dedicated cancer insurance can serve as a supplement, providing a lump sum payout that can be used for treatments not covered by other insurance. Of course, the probability of needing this coverage is actually quite low; the main function of critical illness insurance is still income replacement.

Summary

Even after the introduction of the cancer drug list, hospitalisation insurance still provides very comprehensive coverage for cancer treatment. With a limited budget, you should prioritize comprehensive hospitalisation insurance over critical illness insurance.

Between “private hospitalisation insurance without a rider” and “public hospitalisation insurance with a rider,” I recommend the latter. The rider can fill the coverage gap for non-CDL drugs and reduce out-of-pocket risk.

Reference