10 Best Credit Cards for Hospital Bills in Singapore 2023
If you are looking for the best credit cards for hospital bills in Singapore, you've come to the right place. Whether you're dealing with big doctors' bills right now or regularly spend on your health, you may be interested in a credit card that offers rewards for medical spend. Most credit cards actively exclude hospital spend from earning rewards. So, to make things easier, the experts at ValueChampion scoured the terms & conditions of 100+ cards in Singapore to find which actually do provide cash rebates or miles.
Earning Rewards on Hospital Bills & Why We Selected these Cards
Medical bills, whether for a doctor or a hospital visit, can be quite expensive and are sometimes difficult to pay off all at once. Facing such a large bill can certainly be daunting, but doing so also presents the opportunity to earn significant cashback or miles (the greater the spend, the greater the return). Additionally, some credit cards offer 0% interest instalment plans which allow cardholders to make payments on big bills over time, without added cost.
While there are currently 100s of credit cards in Singapore, only a select few actually reward medical payments. Medical bills, including those from public hospitals and polyclinics, are often nested under "government services," which are often rewards-restricted. Upon careful review of the terms & conditions of credit cards across the market, we've identified options that offer cashback or miles for medical payments while also providing competitive rewards for everyday spending. We've analysed and reviewed these cards below to help you find the best match for your lifestyle.
Best Credit Cards for Rebates on Big Hospital Bills
With the following cards, you can translate big bill payments into big cashback rewards.
1. Standard Chartered Unlimited Cashback Card: Unltd Rebates + SimplyGo
- 1.5% unlimited cashback w/ no min. spend requirement
- Promotions: All new cardholders will receive AirPods Pro (worth $379) or $300 Cash via PayNow upon activating w/ S$300 min spend within 30 days (until Mar.17,2021)
- Existing cardholders will receive $30 cash via PayNow
- Receive S$80 cashback when you apply and make 3 transactions within 30 days of card approval (until Mar. 31,2021)
- Annual fee: S$192.6, 2-year waiver
- Unlimited 1.5% cashback on all spend
- Up to 21% fuel savings with Caltex
If you need to pay large medical or hospital bills, chances are you’ll feel limited by typical capped cashback cards. Standard Chartered Unlimited Cashback Card offers unlimited earning potential, so no matter how much you need to spend, you’ll continue earning a flat 1.5% cashback.
This cashback rate includes spend on both public and private hospitals. So, if you need to pay S$8,000 for a medical procedure, you’ll earn S$120 rebate. Even the best capped alternatives offer just S$100 at this spend level.
Another reason to consider SC Unlimited Cashback Card instead of other unlimited cards is for its excellent transport benefits. Not only is it SimplyGo compatible, it also offers up to 21% fuel savings with Caltex. While there’s a S$192.6 fee, it’s waived for 2 years, so you won’t need to worry about card costs when you’re paying your bills. Ultimately, SC Unlimited Cashback Card is the best option for paying big medical bills if you’re also interested in transport benefits.
2. American Express True Cashback Card: Unltd Cashback + Amex Benefits
This cashback rate includes spend on both public and private hospitals. So, if you need to pay S$8,000 for a medical procedure, you’ll earn S$120 rebate. Even the best capped alternatives offer just S$100 at this spend level.
Another reason to consider SC Unlimited Cashback Card instead of other unlimited cards is for its excellent transport benefits. Not only is it SimplyGo compatible, it also offers up to 21% fuel savings with Caltex. While there’s a S$192.6 fee, it’s waived for 2 years, so you won’t need to worry about card costs when you’re paying your bills. Ultimately, SC Unlimited Cashback Card is the best option for paying big medical bills if you’re also interested in transport benefits.
2. American Express True Cashback Card: Unltd Cashback + Amex Benefits
- 1.5% unlimited cashback, boosted to 3% for 1st 6mo
- Promotions: New cardmembers will receive S$160 cash via PayNow with S$500 spend on eligible purchases within the 1st month of card approval (until Mar.31, 2021)
- Prefill up to 50% of application form on MyInfo and get S$20 Dairy Farm Group Vouchers when you apply (until Mar.31, 2020)
- Enjoy a welcome bonus of 3% Cashback on up to S$5,000 spend in the first 6 months
- Annual fee: S$171.2, 1-year waiver
- Unlimited 1.5% cashback on all spend
- Free travel insurance & Amex Selects Privileges
Analyst's Review
American Express True Cashback Card is an excellent option for paying large hospital bills because of its unlimited 1.5% rewards rate, boosted to 3% during the first 6 months (up to S$150). This is perfect if you’re paying your medical bills currently, or in the near future. Additionally, cardholders enjoy perks like American Express Global Assist–which provides free English-speaking doctor referrals when overseas–and travel accident insurance, covering up to S$350,000 for injuries.
Other perks include access to American Express Selects and True Cashback card promotions, which offer discounts and deals on everything from dining to wedding expenses. Ultimately, however, this card is especially great if you want maximum rewards for big hospital bills that you need to pay right away.
Other perks include access to American Express Selects and True Cashback card promotions, which offer discounts and deals on everything from dining to wedding expenses. Ultimately, however, this card is especially great if you want maximum rewards for big hospital bills that you need to pay right away.
Best Miles Credit Cards for Paying Hospital Bills
If you prefer miles to cashback rewards, consider these cards when paying your hospital bills.3. Standard Chartered Visa Infinite X: Bonus Miles & Rewards for Medical Bills
- Receive S$6,000 cash reward for investing w/ SC Bank
- Promotions: New cardholders receive 30,000 miles at sign-up (75,000 360 Rewards Points)
- Annual fee: S$695.5
- 1.2 miles (3pts) per S$1 local spend, 2 miles (5pts) overseas
- Points can also be redeemed as cashback or travel credits
- 2 free lounge visits & free travel insurance
- Hertz Asia rental car & exclusive hotel privileges
- Discounted green fees at golf clubs in SE Asia
Standard Chartered Visa Infinite X Card is a great card for affluent travellers looking to immediately accrue a large amount of miles without expending a great deal of effort. In fact, cardholders who place S$300k fresh funds in a SC Priority Banking account receive an incredible 100,000 KrisFlyer bonus miles (worth S$10k when redeemed for business class tickets). Those who place S$800k receive 150,000 miles (worth S$15k) and Priority Private Banking customers who place S$1.5m receive 300,000 miles (worth S$30k). While only accessible to those who have extra funds on hand, this sign-up offer provides greater value-to-consumer than any other currently on the market.
SC Visa Infinite X Card also provides several perks and benefits. Cardholders can enjoy 2 free lounge visits per year, free travel insurance, discounted green fees, exclusive hotel privileges and savings on rental cars. In addition, every S$1 spend earns 1.2 miles locally and 2 miles overseas. Even payments made at private and government hospitals are rewards-eligible. Nonetheless, SC Visa Infinite X Card charges a non-waivable S$695.5 annual fee. For the very affluent, however, this fee may be less of a deterrent. Even better, those who unlock top rewards miles by placing funds can easily offset such costs in terms of accrued value.
Best Credit Cards for 0% Instalment Medical Payments
If you can't pay off a big hospital bill all at once, consider these cards with 0% interest instalment plans.4. OCBC Cashflo Card: Rebates on Instalment Payments
- 1% rebate on purchases made w/ 0% interest instalment plan
- Promotions: Receive & use card instantly when you apply via MyInfo
- Annual fee: S$160.5, 2-year waiver, subsequently with S$10,000 annual spend
- 1% flat rebate with S$1,000 minimum spend (0.5% if below)
- 0% Interest Instalment Plan with no processing fee, payments earn rebates
- Trigger scheme automatically splits payments at specified threshold
OCBC Cashflo Card is the only rebate card on the market that allows consumers to net-earn on split payments. At a specific spend threshold determined by the cardholder, payments are automatically split into instalments across 3 or 6 months. Most instalment plans require call-ahead or retroactive applications, making OCBC Cashflo Card especially convenient. Even better, cardholders don’t need to pay a processing fee–other card plans charge up to 5% of the transaction amount.
OCBC Cashflo Card’s instalment plan truly stands out, however, because cardholders can earn up to 1% rebate (after S$1,000 spend; 0.5% if below) on purchases made on the plan. Most plans exclude split payment from earning rewards. Even cards that do reward such payments charge processing fees, which results in a net cost to the consumer. Only with OCBC Cashflo Card can consumers split larger payments, never pay interest, avoid a processing fee, and still earn cashback.
This is especially great if you’re faced with large medical or hospital bills that you need to pay back over time. To put it in perspective, if you pay off a S$5,000 bill over 6 months, you’ll actually earn S$50 with OCBC Cashflo. If you paid this same bill with competitor cards, you’d either earn nothing at all, or potentially lose as much as S$140. In addition, OCBC Cashflo Card offers a fee-waiver with S$10,000 annual spend. If you’re splitting a big hospital bill into instalments, there’s no better option than OCBC Cashflo Card.
5. Standard Chartered SingPost Spree: Online Overseas Shopping Rebates
- Cashback on overseas online shopping + shipping discounts
- Promotions: Receive S$80 cashback when you apply and make 3 transactions within 30 days of card approval (until Mar. 31,2021)
- Annual fee: S$192.6, 2-year waiver
- 3% cashback on foreign online & vPost transactions
- 2% local online & contactless transactions
- 1% cashback on general spend
- Up to 20% discounts with vPost, SmartPac, Lock+Smart
- Online Price Guarantee & 0% Interest Instalment Plan
Standard Chartered SingPost Spree Card is great for online hospital bill payments in instalments. Cardholders can access EasyPay, which is a 0% interest instalment plan that splits transactions of at least S$500 across up to 12 months. Unlike many other plans, EasyPay rewards payments on the plan upfront. In other words, if you split a large hospital bill into instalments, you can pay them back over a year, but earn cashback on the entire bill right away. There is a 5% processing fee, however.
SC SingPost Spree Card also offers value in itself. Cardholders earn 3% on foreign online & vPost transactions and 2% for local online & contactless purchases–which ultimately, makes it a great card for online hospital bill payments. General spend earns 1% cashback. While there’s no minimum requirement, earnings are capped at S$60/month and can be maxed out with as little as S$2,000 spend. Overall, SC SingPost Spree Card is great for online payment of hospital bills, including over instalments.
SC SingPost Spree Card also offers value in itself. Cardholders earn 3% on foreign online & vPost transactions and 2% for local online & contactless purchases–which ultimately, makes it a great card for online hospital bill payments. General spend earns 1% cashback. While there’s no minimum requirement, earnings are capped at S$60/month and can be maxed out with as little as S$2,000 spend. Overall, SC SingPost Spree Card is great for online payment of hospital bills, including over instalments.
Best No-Fee Credit Cards for Paying Hospital Bills
No-fee credit cards are especially low-maintenance, allowing you to focus on your health rather than additional costs.6. HSBC Revolution: Miles for Social Spend & Online Bills
- Up to 2mi/S$1 spend on online insurance & bill-pay
- Promotions: New cardholders will receive S$300 cash via PayNow or Dyson Cool AM07 Tower Fan (worth $499) w/ min S$500 spend by end of 1st mo (until Mar.14 ,2021)
- Existing HSBC cardmembers receive S$30 cashback w/ min spend of S$500 (until Apr.30,2021)
- Annual fee: S$160.5, 2-year waiver, subsequently with S$12,500 annual spend
- 2 miles per S$1 spend on local dining & entertainment, online spend (unlimited)
- Online rate includes travel bookings, recurring bills & transit payments
- No minimum spend requirement
HSBC Revolution Card is the best miles-earning card for online payment of hospital bills, and even comes with an easy fee-waiver. Cardholders earn 2 miles per S$1 online spend, including online travel bookings, transit, and bill pay–private and public. There are no minimum spend requirements and no earning caps, which is great if you’re looking to use this card for more than just bills, and want to continue earning. On that note, cardholders also earn at this rate for spend on local dining & entertainment.
HSBC Revolution Card also comes with a fee-waiver. Cardholders can avoid the S$160.5 fee with just S$12,500 annual spend (about S$1,042/month). If you’re interested in a versatile card offering unlimited miles for online hospital bill pay, look no further than HSBC Revolution Card.
7. CIMB Platinum MasterCard: Cashback on Medical, Transport & More
HSBC Revolution Card also comes with a fee-waiver. Cardholders can avoid the S$160.5 fee with just S$12,500 annual spend (about S$1,042/month). If you’re interested in a versatile card offering unlimited miles for online hospital bill pay, look no further than HSBC Revolution Card.
7. CIMB Platinum MasterCard: Cashback on Medical, Transport & More
- 10% rebate on wine and dine, transport, petrol, health and travel, capped at S$100/month
- Promotions: New cardholders will receive S$100 cash credit gift after spending S$350/month for 2 months (until Mar.31)
Fees, Rewards & Perks
- Annual fee: Free
- 10% cashback on medical, transport, dining & overseas travel
- 10% cashback on select electronics/furnishings vendors
- CIMB 0% Interest i.Pay Instalment Plan
CIMB Platinum MasterCard offers the highest cashback rate for medical expenses on the market. Cardholders earn 10% rebate on everything from doctors, dentists, optometrists, opticians and chiropractors to hospitals, nursing & personal care facilities, pharmacies and more. This spend category is individually capped at just S$20/month, however, and bills from polyclinics and government hospitals are excluded from earning rewards.
Nonetheless, CIMB Plat MC is a great option for rebates on more routine visits, and also has no annual fee. And, because other categories also earn 10% rebate (transport & petrol, dining, overseas travel, home improvement), cardholders can easily earn cashback in common categories, without ever having to worry about extra banking fees. Therefore, CIMB Plat MC has great value as a stand-alone, and can also serve as an easy supplement to a flat rebate or unlimited card.
Nonetheless, CIMB Plat MC is a great option for rebates on more routine visits, and also has no annual fee. And, because other categories also earn 10% rebate (transport & petrol, dining, overseas travel, home improvement), cardholders can easily earn cashback in common categories, without ever having to worry about extra banking fees. Therefore, CIMB Plat MC has great value as a stand-alone, and can also serve as an easy supplement to a flat rebate or unlimited card.
Best Credit Cards for Health & Wellness Perks
These cards may not directly reward medical spend, they do offer perks that support overall wellness.
8. POSB Everyday Card: Rebates on Essentials & Personal Care
- Best for rebates in SG w/ S$800 min. spend
- Promotions: Use code 150CASH to get S$150 cashback when you apply and charge a min of S$800 within 60 days of card approval (until June 30,2021)
- Receive 1 S.E.A. Aquarium Child One Day ticket for free when you purchase 2 S.E.A. Aquarium Adult One Day tickets (until July 31,2021)
- Annual fee: S$192.60 (first year - waived)
- 8% rebate on online food delivery, 5% rebate on groceries at Sheng Siong
- 3% rebate on dining and online shopping, 2% rebate on transport and fuel (up to 20.1% fuel savings at SPC)
- 1% rebate on recurring bills with select merchants (capped at S$1/month)
- 0.3% cash rebate on all other spend
Analyst's Review
POSB Everyday Card is an excellent everyday card for families and comes with a few great wellness perks. First of all, cardholders receive 3% cashback on personal care from Watsons, as well as 3% on online shopping at Amazon.sg, Lazada, Qoo10 and Shopee.
In terms of essentials, cardholders earn at high promotional rates. While these rates change, consumers can typically earn up to 8% cashback on dining, groceries, transport, personal care and even recurring bills. Some, but not all, of these categories are merchant limited. Still, the card provides great convenience with all-in-one functionality and can be used for contactless payments of public transit fares. This convenience, paired with high rebates and wellness discounts, makes POSB Everyday Card an excellent option for the average consumer.
9. Citi SMRT Card: No Minimum Spend Requirement + Rebates on Essentials
In terms of essentials, cardholders earn at high promotional rates. While these rates change, consumers can typically earn up to 8% cashback on dining, groceries, transport, personal care and even recurring bills. Some, but not all, of these categories are merchant limited. Still, the card provides great convenience with all-in-one functionality and can be used for contactless payments of public transit fares. This convenience, paired with high rebates and wellness discounts, makes POSB Everyday Card an excellent option for the average consumer.
9. Citi SMRT Card: No Minimum Spend Requirement + Rebates on Essentials
- Rebates w/ popular merchants, 2% on EZ-Reload transactions
- Promotions: Receive up to S$120 cashback with S$1,200 min. spend in 1st 3 months (until Mar. 31, 2021)
- Annual fee: S$192.6, 2-year waiver
- Up to 5% rebate on groceries, 5% on fast food, movies & coffee
- 3% online shopping, 2% on health & wellness
- EZ-Reload functionality with 2% rebate on Auto Top-Ups
- SimplyGo/ABT compatible
If you’re a young professional on a budget, consider Citi SMRT Card, which is one of the few cards on the market with no minimum spend requirement. Cardholders receive 5% rebate on groceries, 5% on fast food, coffee and movies, 3% for online spend and 2% on Auto Top-Ups. In fact, Citi SMRT Card itself is EZ-Link compatible, making it a great choice for commuters.
Citi SMRT Card also offers 2% rebate on health & wellness. As with most of the categories above, however, merchants are restricted. In this case, cardholders earn rebates with GNC, Guardian, Nature’s Farm, NTUC Unity Healthcare and Watsons–which offer everything from vitamins & supplements to hair & beauty products. There is no category-specific cap on earnings, but total cashback is capped at S$50/month. Overall, Citi SMRT Card is a great way for young professionals to access higher rebates after a low minimum spend–including rebates with top health & wellness merchants.
Best Rebate Credit Card for Paying Hospital Bills
It's possible to earn cashback directly from your hospital bills–check out the card below.
10. BOC Family Card: Everyday Cashback, Inc. for Transit & Medical
Top cashback in practical categories like transit & medical
Fees, Rewards & Perks
BOC Family Card is an excellent everyday option for household spenders with largely practical budgets. Cardholders earn 10% rebate on dining & movies, 5% with Family Club merchants like Best Denki, Watsons & more, 3% on MRT trains and SBS/SMRT Buses, and 3% on local supermarkets, online retail and hospital bills. Each of these 4 category groupings are capped at S$25/month in rewards, encouraging diversified spending (skewed towards transit, groceries, online & medical spend). With the right spend distribution, cardholders can earn up to S$100/month.
BOC Family Card really stands out for its transit and medical benefits. Very few cards offer such high rates in either of these categories, and most do not reward such spend at all. Even better, BOC Family Card directly rewards bills from on-site transactions at hospitals, without additional exclusions. Many cards on this page are not so flexible and may exclude payments to polyclinics and the like. This feature in itself may warrant the card's slightly higher S$203.3 annual fee. However, this fee is already waived the 1st year, making it easy to focus on earning from the get-go.
Top cashback in practical categories like transit & medical
Fees, Rewards & Perks
- Annual fee: S$203.3
- 10% rebate on dining & movie theaters, up to S$25/mo
- 5% rebate w/ Family Club Merchants (Best Denki, POPULAR & more), up to S$25/mo
- 3% rebate on public transport (MRT trains & SBS/SMRT Buses via SimplyGo), up to S$25/mo
- 3% rebate on local supermarkets, online retail & hospitals, up to S$25/mo
BOC Family Card is an excellent everyday option for household spenders with largely practical budgets. Cardholders earn 10% rebate on dining & movies, 5% with Family Club merchants like Best Denki, Watsons & more, 3% on MRT trains and SBS/SMRT Buses, and 3% on local supermarkets, online retail and hospital bills. Each of these 4 category groupings are capped at S$25/month in rewards, encouraging diversified spending (skewed towards transit, groceries, online & medical spend). With the right spend distribution, cardholders can earn up to S$100/month.
BOC Family Card really stands out for its transit and medical benefits. Very few cards offer such high rates in either of these categories, and most do not reward such spend at all. Even better, BOC Family Card directly rewards bills from on-site transactions at hospitals, without additional exclusions. Many cards on this page are not so flexible and may exclude payments to polyclinics and the like. This feature in itself may warrant the card's slightly higher S$203.3 annual fee. However, this fee is already waived the 1st year, making it easy to focus on earning from the get-go.
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