GHS and GMM describe different layers of hospital protection. Compare the actual schedules and a worked bill example before deciding what your team needs.
Group hospital and surgical cover (GHS) and group major medical cover (GMM) work as two layers, so we always assess them together from the proposed benefit schedules. The same label can mean different cover from one insurer to the next. Last reviewed 23 October 2026.
What to read in a GHS schedule
The key lines are the hospital and ward basis, the daily room and board allowance, surgical limits, other inpatient benefits and any overall cap. Then look at how long before and after a hospital stay related visits are covered, and how day surgery is treated.
Insurer brochures give a general picture only. What an employer actually buys is set by the proposal, the benefit schedule and the policy wording, and those are what we compare.
What a major medical layer adds
GMM picks up part of the eligible bill after GHS limits run out. Three things decide how much it pays: where it starts, its deductible and the share the employee still pays (co-insurance), up to its own maximum. Depending on the plan, GMM may be included, optional or not offered at all, and we show which on every quote.
GMM does not pay for everything GHS leaves behind. An excluded item stays excluded, even after a GHS limit is used up. We confirm how the two layers interact from the wording before you decide.
A simple worked example
Suppose the GMM layer accepts S$6,000 of eligible expenses left after GHS, applies a S$1,000 deductible, and pays 80% of the rest. It pays 80% of S$5,000, which is S$4,000. The employee pays the remaining S$2,000.
These numbers are made up to show the calculation. They are not typical rates, a real product or a claim assessment. Real limits, exclusions and the order of the calculation can change the result.
How to decide
We run the same sample bill through every quote and show which clauses apply. That lets you compare what the company pays in premium with what an employee could still pay after a hospital stay. Choose for your workforce and budget, and do not assume any admission will be paid in full.
Do not rely on staff's personal cover to fill every gap. People hold different policies, and the company still needs to explain its own plan clearly.
Keep one comparison record
The quote-reading guide covers the full comparison. This article covers only how the two hospital layers fit. The GHS, GMM, deductible and co-insurance entries define the terms.
We keep open questions in the comparison checklist and get each one confirmed in the final terms before you approve cover.
