Lianhe Zaobao - Seeking care in JB: how overseas MediSave works

Published in Chinese as 《因汇率与服务优势 新加坡人赴马来西亚新山寻医》

Lianhe Zaobao follows two Singapore residents who chose Regency Specialist Hospital in Johor Bahru. One accompanies her husband every few months for targeted cancer therapy that they found more affordable across the Causeway, and describes shorter waits and more time with doctors. Another, a Permanent Resident married to a Singaporean, delivered her baby at Regency in August 2026 to be near her family in Johor Bahru; she says family support and convenience weighed more than the cost saving.

The article explains the overseas MediSave process: after a specialist at Regency confirms that a non-urgent elective procedure or day surgery is needed, the hospital prepares the medical assessment and claim documents, which the patient brings to HMI Medical Centre near Farrer Park for review by a Singapore-accredited doctor. Approval typically takes four to six weeks. Regency also runs a shuttle for Singapore patients, now twice a week.

The Ministry of Health told the paper that participating overseas hospitals must partner an accredited Singapore institution that provides pre-admission clinical assessment and financial counselling, and that MOH does not regulate overseas providers or their fees.

→ Read the full article on Lianhe Zaobao (in Chinese)

Considering treatment in Malaysia? Learn how to use MediSave in Malaysia, or speak to our Singapore-based HMI Patient Service Centre.