Medisave Cap 2026: Singapore’s $79,000 Basic Healthcare Sum — Complete Guide

How the 2026 BHS cap and new Matched MediSave Scheme affect your Integrated Shield Plan strategy.

The CPF Medisave cap for 2026 is $79,000 — officially called the Basic Healthcare Sum (BHS). This is the maximum balance you can hold in your MediSave Account (MA). For Singapore Citizens aged 65 and below, this cap applies from 1 January 2026. Once you turn 65, your BHS is fixed for life at that year’s amount. Any Medisave contributions beyond the cap automatically flow into your Ordinary or Special Account.

Data verified as at September 2026. Not financial advice. All figures are for educational reference only. Always check cpf.gov.sg for the latest official rates.

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What Is the Medisave Cap (Basic Healthcare Sum)?

Your CPF MediSave Account (MA) is not a bottomless savings pot. The government sets a ceiling on how much you can hold in it. This ceiling is called the Basic Healthcare Sum (BHS).

Think of the BHS as the “full” marker on your Medisave tank. Once your MA hits this amount, any new contributions spill over into your Ordinary Account (OA) or Special Account (SA) instead. You do not lose the money — it just goes somewhere else in your CPF.

The BHS is reviewed and adjusted every year by the CPF Board to keep pace with rising healthcare costs. For 2026, that number is $79,000.

Why does this matter for you? Because Medisave is your primary tool for paying Medisave for ISP premiums. Knowing the cap helps you plan how much to save for future healthcare costs and ISP coverage.

2026 BHS Amount: $79,000 Explained

From 1 January 2026, the BHS is set at $79,000 for all CPF members aged 65 years and below. This is an increase of $3,500 from the 2025 BHS of $75,500.

If you turn 65 in 2026, your BHS will be permanently fixed at $79,000 for the rest of your life. It will not increase further, even as the BHS for younger members rises in future years.

The BHS keeps increasing annually to reflect rising healthcare consumption in Singapore. It has grown from $63,000 in 2021 to $79,000 in 2026 — an increase of $16,000 over five years.

BHS by Age Cohort in 2026

If you are already 65 or older, your BHS was locked in when you turned 65. Here is the 2026 BHS for each age group:

Source: CPF Board, cpf.gov.sg — September 2026

How the BHS Has Grown: 2021–2026

The BHS has increased every year since it was introduced. Here is the trend over the past six years:

Source: CPF Board, cpf.gov.sg — September 2026

The steady annual increases reflect Singapore’s rising healthcare costs. If you are still under 65, your effective Medisave ceiling will keep growing until you hit that milestone birthday.

New in 2026: The Matched MediSave Scheme (MMSS)

Starting 1 January 2026, the government introduced the Matched MediSave Scheme (MMSS) — a five-year pilot that runs until 2030.

Here is how it works: if you are an eligible Singapore Citizen aged 55 to 70, the government will match your voluntary cash top-ups to your MediSave Account dollar-for-dollar, up to $1,000 per year.

That means: if you top up $1,000 cash into your MA, the government adds another $1,000. Your MA grows by $2,000 in total. It is free money for your healthcare savings.

One important note: top-ups that attract the MMSS grant do not qualify for income tax relief. However, top-ups that do not attract the grant still qualify for up to $8,000 tax relief per year (self) and another $8,000 for eligible family members.

All top-ups — matched or not — are still capped at your applicable BHS. Your MA cannot exceed the BHS amount regardless of how much you top up.

How the BHS Cap Affects Your Integrated Shield Plan

Your MediSave Account is directly linked to your Integrated Shield Plan (ISP). You use Medisave to pay ISP premiums every year — automatically, without needing to transfer cash.

However, you can only use Medisave up to the MediSave Withdrawal Limits (MWL) for ISP premiums. The MWL depends on your age and the type of hospital ward your plan covers. For details on exactly how much you can use, see our guide on using Medisave to pay ISP premiums.

The BHS cap matters for your ISP in two key ways. First, if your MA is already full (at the BHS), your Medisave will not grow further — meaning you need to maintain a balance sufficient to cover future premiums. Second, topping up your MA strategically before the BHS is reached can give you a larger healthcare war chest for ISP premiums in your later years, when premiums rise sharply.

For a detailed look at how premiums change as you age and why keeping your Medisave healthy matters, read the Medisave hospitalisation 2026 claim limits guide.

How to Top Up Your MediSave Account

There are three ways to add money to your MediSave Account:

1. Automatic payroll contributions. Every month, your employer and you both contribute to CPF. A portion of that goes directly into your MA based on your age. If you are 35 or under, about 10.5% of your wages go to MA. This portion increases as you age.

2. Voluntary cash top-ups. You can top up your MA with cash at any time via the CPF website or app. The top-up is capped at your BHS. For eligible members under the MMSS, you get a dollar-for-dollar match on up to $1,000 per year.

3. Transfers from OA or SA. You cannot transfer directly from OA or SA to MA. However, the CPF allocation system already routes a higher portion to MA as you age.

If you use Endowus to invest your CPF savings, you can manage your portfolio easily — see our Endowus referral code page for sign-up bonuses. For retirement planning, try the Singapore retirement calculator to model how your Medisave fits into your overall financial picture.

What Happens When Your MediSave Exceeds the BHS?

Once your MA reaches the BHS, it does not just stop there. The overflow mechanics work like this:

If you are below 55: excess Medisave contributions are redirected to your Special Account (SA). Your SA earns 4% interest — higher than the OA’s 2.5% — so the overflow is not wasted.

If you are 55 and above: excess contributions go to your Retirement Account (RA) first, then OA if the RA is already at the Full Retirement Sum (FRS).

The key point: you never “lose” contributions that exceed the BHS. They simply redistribute within your CPF system. That said, keeping your Medisave growing towards the BHS is wise — it is the most accessible pot for healthcare expenses, including ISP premiums.

For a broader look at how to make your CPF work harder for you, see our CPF investment strategy Singapore guide.

Data verified as at September 2026. Figures sourced from CPF Board (cpf.gov.sg) and Ministry of Health (moh.gov.sg).

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