CPF BHS 2026: Basic Healthcare Sum Raised to S$79,000 — What It Means for Your MediSave

From 1 January 2026, the CPF Basic Healthcare Sum (BHS) increased to S$79,000 — up 4.6% from S$75,500 in 2025. Whether you are still building your MediSave or nearing retirement, this change affects how much you can hold in your MediSave Account and whether you qualify for the new Matched MediSave Scheme. Here is everything you need to know, with clear numbers and action steps.

This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute financial advice. CPF rules change annually — verify figures at cpf.gov.sg before making decisions.

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What Is the CPF Basic Healthcare Sum (BHS)?

The Basic Healthcare Sum (BHS) is the maximum amount CPF members below age 65 can hold in their MediSave Account (MA) at any point. Think of it as your MediSave “cap” — contributions that push your MA balance above the BHS automatically overflow into your Special Account (SA), or Ordinary Account (OA) if your SA is full.

The BHS is reviewed annually and adjusted upward to keep pace with rising healthcare costs and consumption. Once you turn 65, your BHS is fixed for life at the prevailing level — meaning your cohort’s MediSave ceiling never changes after that birthday, regardless of future BHS increases.

The BHS matters for three reasons: it caps how much MediSave you can hold, it determines eligibility for schemes like the new MMSS matching grant, and it is the benchmark against which your MediSave adequacy is measured.

For a full breakdown of how to grow and invest your CPF savings strategically, see our CPF investment strategy guide.

CPF BHS 2026: S$79,000 — Key Facts

Effective 1 January 2026, the CPF Board raised the Basic Healthcare Sum to S$79,000, up from S$75,500 in 2025. This is a S$3,500 or 4.6% increase year-on-year, broadly in line with the trend of recent years.

If your MediSave balance is already at or above S$79,000, any new MediSave contributions (including employer contributions and self-employed contributions) will automatically overflow to your SA, or OA if your SA is full. You are not required to withdraw or top up in this situation.

If your MediSave balance is below the BHS, you can still use your MediSave for all approved medical expenses without first topping up to the BHS — that is a common misconception. The BHS is a cap, not a requirement to spend from.

BHS Historical Table: 2017 to 2026

The BHS has grown steadily year-on-year. Once a member turns 65, their cohort BHS is frozen permanently at that year’s level. Below is the full history of BHS amounts — note these are the fixed cohort BHS for members who turned 65 in that year:

The 10-year compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of the BHS from 2017 (S$52,000) to 2026 (S$79,000) works out to approximately 4.7% per year — slightly above core CPI but tracking medical cost inflation, which has historically run higher in Singapore. If this trend continues, by 2030 the BHS for members turning 65 could approach S$93,000–S$96,000 based on a 4–5% annual increase.

Who Does the 2026 BHS Apply To?

The new S$79,000 BHS affects members differently depending on their age as of 1 January 2026:

Members aged 64 and below in 2026: Your current BHS is S$79,000. This cap will continue rising annually until you turn 65, at which point it locks in at whatever the prevailing BHS is that year.

Members who turn 65 in 2026: Your BHS is permanently fixed at S$79,000 for the rest of your life. Future increases to the BHS do not affect you.

Members aged 66 and above in 2026: Your cohort BHS was already fixed when you turned 65. For example, if you turned 65 in 2025, your fixed BHS is S$75,500; if in 2024, it is S$71,500. These figures remain unchanged in 2026.

A common question is: what happens if my MediSave exceeds the BHS? CPF automatically redirects the overflow. For members who have not yet reached 55, excess goes to the SA first. After 55, it goes to the Retirement Account (RA) or OA. You will not lose those contributions — they simply go to a different CPF account earning CPF interest rates. For a calculator to model your CPF LIFE payout projections, try our CPF LIFE Payout Calculator.

New in 2026: Matched MediSave Scheme (MMSS) — Up to S$5,000 in Free Government Grants

One of the most significant MediSave changes in 2026 is the launch of the Matched MediSave Scheme (MMSS) — a five-year government co-contribution scheme running from 2026 to 2030, designed to help lower-income seniors beef up their healthcare savings.

Under the MMSS, the government will match every dollar of cash top-ups made to an eligible member’s MediSave Account, up to S$1,000 per year. Over the full five-year scheme, that is up to S$5,000 in free government grants.

The CPF Board will automatically assess eligibility each January and notify qualified members. Importantly, anyone can make the top-up on behalf of an eligible member — family members, employers, and community organisations all qualify. The top-up does count toward MediSave Top-Up Tax Relief, so there is a double benefit if you make it yourself.

For lower-income seniors aged 55–70 with MediSave below S$39,500, the MMSS is effectively a 100% return on cash for the first S$1,000 contributed each year. It is arguably the highest-yielding “investment” available to eligible members — do not overlook it.

MediSave Withdrawal Limit Increases in 2026

Beyond the BHS cap increase, 2026 also brought meaningful expansions to what you can actually withdraw from MediSave for healthcare costs. These changes make your MediSave balance more immediately useful:

These increases are particularly helpful for older members managing chronic conditions such as diabetes, hypertension, or hyperlipidemia — conditions that require frequent outpatient visits and diagnostics. With the raised scan limit, a member who previously had to pay out-of-pocket for preventive scans can now claim more from MediSave.

These changes work in concert with the MediSave top-up strategy: the more you hold in MediSave (up to the BHS), the more flexibility you have to cover day-to-day healthcare costs in retirement without touching your cash savings.

CPF Interest Rates in 2026 — Why MediSave Earns More Than Your Bank Account

CPF interest rates are set quarterly. For Q1 2026 (January to March), the rates are:

Your MediSave Account earns 4% per annum — guaranteed, risk-free, government-backed. Compare that to most bank savings accounts paying 1–3% (often with conditions), or fixed deposits at 2.5–3% for short tenors. Topping up your MediSave — especially if you are eligible for the MMSS matching grant — is one of the most efficient savings moves a Singapore resident can make. For context on other fixed-income alternatives, see our T-Bill, SSB and Fixed Deposit Comparison Calculator.

How to Optimise Your MediSave in 2026 — Action Steps

Given the BHS increase to S$79,000 and the new MMSS, here is a practical checklist for Singapore investors and retirees in April 2026:

Step 1 — Check your current MediSave balance. Log in to my.cpf.gov.sg to see your exact MA balance. Compare it against the new S$79,000 BHS (or your cohort’s fixed BHS if you are already 65+).

Step 2 — If you are 55–70 with MA below S$39,500 and income ≤ S$4,000/month — check your MMSS eligibility. CPF Board should have notified you in January 2026. If you missed the notification, contact the CPF Board directly at cpf.gov.sg. Top up S$1,000 in cash to your MA this year to claim the matching S$1,000 grant. Then repeat every year through 2030.

Step 3 — If your MA is below the BHS and you have spare cash — consider voluntary MediSave top-ups. These earn 4% p.a. risk-free, and the top-up amount is tax-deductible (capped at S$8,000 for self-top-ups, S$8,000 for topping up family members). The tax relief combined with 4% interest makes this highly efficient. Use our SRS Tax Savings Calculator to compare SRS vs. MediSave top-up strategies.

Step 4 — If your MA is already at the BHS — no action needed. Continue monitoring, as the BHS will increase again in 2027 and new contributions will gradually fill the gap. Focus your attention on your RA, SA, and investment-grade options like S-REITs and ETFs.

Step 5 — Review your retirement income strategy. MediSave funds are ring-fenced for healthcare. Your CPF LIFE payouts and investment income from dividend stocks and S-REITs provide your living income. For a comprehensive view of both, see our Singapore retirement income calculator and our Best S-REITs 2026 guide for yield comparisons.

If you are also investing surplus cash into platforms like Endowus (which lets you invest using CPF funds), the Endowus Cash Smart and CPF portfolios can complement your MediSave strategy. Check out our Endowus referral code for the latest sign-up offers.

FAQ: CPF BHS 2026

Data current as at April 2026. Sources: CPF Board, Ministry of Health Singapore. All figures in SGD. This article is for educational purposes only and does not constitute financial advice. Always verify CPF figures at cpf.gov.sg before making decisions.