Group hospital and surgical insurance (GHS) Hospital cover for the whole team
Group hospital and surgical insurance pays hospital and surgery bills for every employee on the plan, from the ward to the surgeon’s fee, up to the plan’s limits. It is the core of most company schemes, and the cover the other health benefits are built on.
What it is
The core of every scheme
When someone on your team is admitted to hospital or needs surgery, GHS pays the eligible bill up to the limits in your plan. For planned treatment, most insurers can send the hospital a letter of guarantee, so your employee isn’t asked for a large deposit.
It sits alongside MediShield Life, which every Singapore Citizen and Permanent Resident already has, and any Integrated Shield Plan an employee buys for themselves. It doesn’t replace either of them.
What it usually pays for
From admission to recovery
Room, board and surgery
Daily ward charges up to the ward class in your plan, plus the surgeon’s and anaesthetist’s fees, the operating theatre, intensive care and doctor’s visits in hospital. Day surgery is usually covered too.
What ward class meansBefore and after the stay
Specialist visits, scans and tests linked to the admission, before you go in and after you come out. The pre- and post-hospitalisation window is set by each insurer, so ask us for the terms in a written quote.
Pre- and post-hospitalisationCancer and kidney treatment
Many plans also pay for outpatient chemotherapy, radiotherapy and kidney dialysis up to a yearly limit, and for emergency treatment after an accident.
How MediShield Life fits inEntry plan or top plan
What changes as you go up a level
Plans differ mainly in where staff can be treated and how much each part of the bill can use. This is how entry and top plans usually compare across the SME packages we look at.
| Entry plan | Top plan | |
|---|---|---|
| Hospital | Public (restructured) hospitals | Private or public hospitals |
| Ward | 4-bed ward | Single room |
| Limits | A set limit for each part of the bill | Higher limits, and some plans pay as charged up to a yearly cap |
| Large bills | Add major medical (GMM) as a second layer | Often built in, or not needed |
| Treated above the plan | The claim is usually pro-rated, so the employee pays part | Covered up to a private single room |
| Premium | Lower | Higher |
Is GHS right for your team?
A good fit if
- You’re buying group insurance for the first time and want the cover that matters most
- You want staff treated without big hospital deposits or surprise bills
- You want benefits that hold up against what candidates are offered elsewhere
- You may add GP, specialist or dental cover later, which most insurers sell on top of hospital cover
In practice
What happens when someone is admitted
01
Before admission
Your employee gives their medical card or details at the hospital. For planned treatment, the hospital asks the insurer for a letter of guarantee.
02
During the stay
With a letter of guarantee, the insurer settles the eligible bill with the hospital, up to the plan’s limits. Without one, the employee pays and claims afterwards.
03
After discharge
Follow-up visits and tests within the post-hospitalisation period are claimed with the receipts. If a claim gets stuck, talk to us and we’ll help you follow it up with the insurer.
Questions about GHS
Hospital cover, answered
It is the usual name for a company’s group medical plan. In Singapore that normally means group hospital and surgical (GHS) cover, often topped up with major medical (GMM) and outpatient benefits, bought by the employer for everyone on the plan.
No. MediShield Life covers every Singapore Citizen and Permanent Resident for life, and it stays in place. GHS is extra cover your company provides. Some employees also have their own Integrated Shield Plan, and claims can be coordinated so the employee pays as little as possible out of pocket.
It depends on the insurer and the size of your group. For small groups, many insurers exclude conditions an employee already had for the first 12 months, and some conditions for longer. This is often waived for larger groups, or when you move from an existing group policy. We check it for every quote.
Usually, yes, as dependants on the same plan as the employee. Most insurers ask that dependants cover is offered on the same basis to every eligible employee, and each dependant adds to the premium.
Yes. Most insurers let you set plan levels by category, such as job grade, as long as each category is clearly defined and applied to everyone in it.
The claim is usually pro-rated: the insurer pays a percentage of the eligible bill and the employee pays the rest. If your team is likely to want private hospitals, a higher plan may suit you better.
It depends on your headcount, your employees’ ages and the plan level. Our calculator gives a ballpark yearly range for teams of 2 to 200. For exact premiums, send us your details and we’ll aim to send exact quotes within the next working day.
Compare hospital cover across insurers
Tell us about your team. We lay out plans from our panel of 16 insurers side by side and aim to send exact quotes within the next working day. Our advice is free: the insurer pays our commission.