![The ultimate price guide on health screening in Singapore [2021]](https://media.asiaone.com/sites/default/files/styles/article_main_image/public/original_images/Sep2021/200921_patientdoctor_straitstimesfile.jpeg?itok=eUmWrNFv)
Health screenings involve the use of various tests or measures to check for underlying conditions in people who appear to be well physically.
Health screenings can be important as they can detect any conditions you did not previously know you had. If you discover an underlying condition early, you can take earlier action to prevent it from getting worse.
In this article, we will talk about what a health screening can include, healthcare screening package prices, and go over different options for health screenings available in Singapore.
There are different types of health screenings that are available to someone based on their age and the conditions they want to check for.
You can choose to get a health screening for a specific condition, like hypertension or diabetes. You can also choose to get a comprehensive health screening that involves a full body check-up.
A more comprehensive screening lets you check for a variety of conditions at once.
Some types of basic health screenings are free of charge and can be easily done online. For example, obesity can be screened for by finding out your Body Mass Index (BMI) which is calculated by dividing your weight by your height.
The type of screening you may want to select will vary based on your age and lifestyle factors. People who are middle-aged or older are generally at higher risk for various conditions.
For example, if you are 40 years or older, it is recommended to get a health screening for high blood pressure and high blood cholesterol.
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However, if you smoke or have family members who have been diagnosed with high blood cholesterol, it is recommended that you start screening for high blood cholesterol earlier, starting from 30 years of age.
Health screening tests are typically done every two to three years.
There are some screenings that are recommended to be done more frequently, like screening for breast cancer once a year for women between the ages of 40 and 49.
You do not need to screen for certain health conditions if you know you are not at risk. One example is that screening for liver cancer is not necessary unless you have had previous liver conditions like liver cirrhosis or chronic hepatitis B infection.
You can request health screenings from private healthcare providers for a fee.
Different providers have different packages that can be tailored to suit your individual healthcare needs.
Here are ten examples of healthcare screening packages at various prices offered by different medical centres and hospitals around Singapore.
Raffles Health Screeners offers health screening packages at low prices, like the Raffles Basic health screening plan which costs just $74.90.
The Raffles Basic health screening package includes ten assessments including a cholesterol profile, fasting blood sugar level, full blood count, and urine analysis.
At a low price, you can get screened for several key health indicators of chronic conditions like diabetes, hypertension, and anaemia.
Raffles Basic is a good option to go to if you want an affordable option that still meets your basic health screening needs.
At $88 is Ng Teng Fong General Hospital’s Essential Health Package.
This low-cost package is applicable to those aged 18 and older and includes seven assessment items like an obesity screening, personalised medical report, fasting blood sugar level, and fasting lipid profile.
A fasting lipid profile measures the levels of different types of cholesterol in your blood and allows you to check for the risk of high blood cholesterol.
The Essential Health Package would benefit those who want to check for chronic conditions at an earlier age.
Tan Tock Seng Hospital provides a Core Screening Package at $200.
Besides a detailed physical examination and taking of medical history, this package includes measurements of blood pressure, screening of blood glucose and cholesterol and an auroscopy, a procedure where an instrument is used to examine the ear.
An auroscopy is useful to check for conditions like ear inflammations or perforation of the eardrum that can cause hearing loss. The package includes a breast examination for women and an optional rectal examination for both genders.
LifeScan Medical Centre, with branches in Paragon Medical and Novena Medical Center, offers health screening packages starting from the Women Wellness package at $218.
The Women Wellness health screening package provides assessments across twelve categories including a bone and joint profile, screening for sexually transmitted diseases and screening for markers of the liver, colon, and ovarian cancer.
With this package, you can check for the risk of conditions that commonly affect women like rheumatoid arthritis and osteoporosis.
LifeScan Medical’s Men Deluxe package costs $288 and includes screening for markers of pancreas and prostate cancer.
These packages are tailored to the healthcare needs of different genders and would be helpful for those who want to check for the risk of diseases specific to their gender.
National University Hospital (NUH)’s selection of health screening packages begins with the Basic Screening plan at $260.
The package includes items like a comprehensive physical examination, measuring blood pressure, blood glucose screening, a lipid profile, urine analysis and medical review with a doctor.
Assessments in this package are conducted over one visit to the NUS Wellness Centre. NUH also provides customised screening packages for adults with different conditions like high blood cholesterol, high blood glucose, and carriers of hepatitis B.
Mount Alvernia Hospital offers health screening packages such as their Basic 250 package at $267.50.
The Basic 250 includes eighteen items including a liver function test, screening for markers of colon and liver cancer, screenings for hepatitis A and B.
Besides basic healthcare markers, this package also allows you to screen for a wider variety of conditions. You can also customise the package to include other screenings based on your individual healthcare needs.
Mount Alvernia’s Hospitals Basic Screening Packages are only available from Mondays to Fridays.
Sata CommHealth offers different health screening packages starting with their Lite package at $275.
The Lite package has twelve items including a chest X-ray, electrocardiogram (ECG), liver kidney and thyroid function test, syphilis screen and screenings for hepatitis A and B.
Their more expensive Premier package at $323 includes tests that measure indicators of rheumatoid arthritis, kidney disease and inflammation in the body.
At their highest level of health screening offerings, Sata CommHealth’s offers an Elite Male and an Elite Female package.
The Elite Female package at $708 includes screenings for hepatitis C, a mammogram and screening for ovarian and cervical cancer, while the Elite Male package at $563 screens for prostate tumours and measures testosterone levels.
Farrer Park Hospital’s HealthTrack Regular package costs $350.
Besides basic physical health indicators such as BMI and blood pressure, the HealthTrack Regular package contains measures of vision acuity and colour vision.
A tonometry measures the pressure inside your eye, which can help doctors determine if you are at risk of glaucoma, a common condition that can cause blindness in people over 60.
Among the other items the HealthTrack Regular package also contains a diabetic screen, kidney screen, liver screen, lipid panel, haematology panel, thyroid screen, and immunology panel.
This package would be best suited for older people who want a comprehensive screening for various conditions related to old age.
Changi General Hospital offers two healthcare screening packages, the Core and Core 50 plans.
The Core health screening package costs $360 and the Core 50 package costs $380.
Common to both packages is a pre- and post-screening review as well as a kidney function test, liver function test, diabetes screen, cholesterol screen, ECG, urine analysis, full blood count, and a hepatitis B screen.
The Core 50 package also includes a uric acid and stool analysis. You can arrange for other individual tests after your consultation, such as mammograms or screenings for the human papillomavirus (HPV) for women.
Fullerton Health provides Executive Health Screenings starting from $500.76 for their Live Fuller Premium package.
The Live Fuller Premium package contains a physical examination including a neurological examination and an examination of the heart, lungs, and abdomen on top of measurements for basic physical health indicators.
A neurological examination looks at the nervous system and helps to test a patient’s reflexes, which can help to test for problems with moving around and coordination.
The package also contains many blood and urine investigations including a cardiac risk screen, screening for hepatitis A and B, pap smear for women and screening for prostate tumours for men.
While this might be a costly package, it also includes unique tests that would benefit those who want a wide selection of tests.
READ ALSO: Allergy types: Top 12 most common allergies in Singapore
Are you worried that getting a health screening with a private healthcare provider would be too expensive for you?
Under the Ministry of Health (MOH)’s Screen for Life programme, Singapore citizens and Permanent Residents (PR) can be eligible for screenings that can cost as little as $5.
You are eligible for these subsidised health screenings if you…
You can receive the subsidised screenings at any general practitioner (GP) clinic under the Community Health Assistance Scheme (CHAS).
Further subsidised screening and one post-screening consultation are available at different, very low fees.
Eligible Singapore Citizens and those who have a CHAS green card pay $5.
If you have a CHAS blue or orange card, or a Merdeka Generation card, you only need to pay $2.
Singaporean citizens aged 60 and above are also eligible for free health screening under MOH’s Project Silver Screen. The screening tests for the health of your eyes, ears and teeth.
You can receive functional screening in your neighbourhood at locations such as community centres or CHAS clinics. You can check the latest schedule for health screenings at Project Silver Screen’s website.
This article was first published in Homage.