MediSave Limit 2026: BHS $79,000, Withdrawal Caps & Coverage Rules

The MediSave limit in 2026 is $79,000 — the Basic Healthcare Sum (BHS). That's the maximum balance you can hold in your MediSave Account; further CPF contributions overflow to OA or RA once the cap is reached. Separate withdrawal limits apply per procedure, per insurance premium, and per outpatient programme. This guide covers all of them.

Use the MediSave Withdrawal Calculator below to model your specific situation.

Key MediSave numbers for 2026

What is the MediSave limit in 2026?

The MediSave limit is $79,000 — formally the Basic Healthcare Sum (BHS). It's the maximum balance you can carry in your MediSave Account at any point in time. Once you hit it, the MA-allocated portion of new CPF contributions is automatically redirected: to your Ordinary Account if you're under 55, or to your Retirement Account (up to the Full Retirement Sum) and then OA if you're 55+.

The BHS rises each year for active members (under 65) in line with long-term MediShield Life premium growth. In 2025 it was $75,500; in 2026 it's $79,000. The day you turn 65, your BHS locks at whatever the prevailing amount is for your cohort — it never goes up again. If you turn 65 in 2026, your lifetime BHS is $79,000.

The BHS only governs contributions, not withdrawals. You can still draw from MediSave for approved purposes even if your MA is at or above the BHS.

How is MediSave funded?

MediSave is one of the three working-age CPF accounts (alongside OA and SA, though SA closed for members 55+ from January 2025). A portion of every CPF contribution goes directly into MA based on age.

Contribution percentages are on wages up to the Ordinary Wage ceiling of $8,000/month (in force since 1 Jan 2026). Senior worker CPF rates step up again on 1 Jan 2027. Check CPF Board's official allocation tables for the exact split at each age band.

What can MediSave be used for?

Hospital and day surgery

The heaviest MediSave use case. Covers inpatient hospitalisation (ward charges, doctor fees, surgical fees) and day-surgery procedures at restructured hospitals and most private hospitals. Specific withdrawal limits apply per day and per procedure under CPF Board's MediSave Withdrawal Schedule.

Approved outpatient treatments

• Chronic Disease Management Programme (CDMP) — 23 approved conditions including diabetes, hypertension, lipid disorders, asthma, and schizophrenia. Up to ~$700/year per patient for consultations and CDMP-approved medications.
• Cancer treatments — chemotherapy and radiotherapy at approved institutions, with limits aligned to MOH's Cancer Drug List (CDL) from 1 April 2023.
• Renal dialysis — at approved dialysis centres.
• Vaccinations — under the National Adult Immunisation Schedule (NAIS), including influenza and pneumococcal.

Insurance premiums

Three national schemes draw from MediSave:

• MediShield Life — mandatory for all SC/PR. Premiums auto-deducted each year. No cap (fully covered).
• CareShield Life — mandatory for SC/PR born 1980 or later. Premiums also from MediSave; CSL supplement premiums up to $600/year from MA.
• Integrated Shield Plans (IPs) — optional private top-ups. Premium amount payable from MA is age-banded under the Additional Withdrawal Limit (AWL): $300/year (≤40), $600/year (41–70), $900/year (71+) per insured. The base MediShield Life portion is fully covered; the AWL applies to the IP rider top-up.

Health screenings

Approved Screen for Life (SFL) screenings — diabetes, hypertension, selected cancers — can be paid from MediSave, subject to programme limits.

What MediSave cannot pay for

The list that catches most people out:

• Standard GP visits for acute illness (cold, flu, minor injuries) — unless on CDMP for an approved chronic condition
• Routine dental — scaling, fillings, general dentistry. Exception: surgical procedures like wisdom-tooth removal performed in a hospital setting
• Cosmetic procedures — any non-medically-necessary treatment
• Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) — not approved
• Over-the-counter medication — even if doctor-recommended
• Optical — glasses, contact lenses. LASIK is not standard-coverage; check CPF Board's approved list
• Long-term nursing home fees — though CareShield Life payouts can offset these

MediSave withdrawal limits by procedure (2026)

CPF Board publishes a per-procedure table. Indicative caps (verify the current schedule on cpf.gov.sg before surgery):

Withdrawal-limit numbers update periodically — always check the latest schedule directly with CPF Board for major procedures.

What happens when MediSave exceeds the BHS?

If your MA hits $79,000 mid-year and CPF contributions continue, the MA-allocated portion is automatically redirected:

• Under 55: overflow goes to your Ordinary Account — increases funds available for housing-loan repayment or CPFIS-OA investment.
• 55 and above: overflow goes to your Retirement Account first (up to the Full Retirement Sum), then to OA.

This redirection is automatic — no action needed on your end. Your MA balance stays at the BHS cap until you draw it down via approved withdrawals.

Practical tips

Get on CDMP if you have a chronic condition. Diabetes, hypertension, hyperlipidaemia and the other 20 approved conditions all qualify for ~$700/year MediSave coverage at CDMP-registered GPs. This is the most-missed benefit in MediSave.

Check your MA balance before major procedures. Large surgical bills can draw heavily on MediSave. Know your balance in advance — the CPF mobile app shows it in real time.

Layer MediSave with MediShield Life and an IP. MediSave works best in combination. MediShield Life covers up to $200,000/year (raised from $150,000 in April 2025) for major bills; an Integrated Shield Plan covers the gap to single-bed wards or private hospitals; MediSave pays the co-insurance, deductibles, and premiums. No single layer is sufficient on its own.

Use the MediSave Withdrawal Calculator to model a specific procedure or yearly out-of-pocket projection.

Sources

• CPF Board — Basic Healthcare Sum and MediSave allocation tables (cpf.gov.sg/member/healthcare-financing/medisave)
• Ministry of Health — MediShield Life 2025 enhancement (claim limit, deductibles, co-insurance) (moh.gov.sg)
• CPF Board — Additional Withdrawal Limit for IP premiums (cpf.gov.sg/member/healthcare-financing/using-medisave-for-insurance-premiums)
• Per Audit #2 (CPF) and Audit #8 (MOH) — May 2026 Perplexity Deep Research verification against primary sources.