High claims, low margins: How sustainable is Singapore’s health insurance?

A scan or a short stay at a private hospital can leave you with a hefty bill, and without insurance most of us could not afford it at all. But insurers say they are under pressure too. Claims keep climbing and premiums follow, and both integrated shield plans and employer group plans are feeling the strain.

In this episode of WealthBT, part of the BT Correspondents family of podcasts, Genevieve Cua speaks with Dr Jeremy Lim, a leading voice in healthcare and founder of AMILI, which focuses on gut microbiome services in Asia. They ask why the cycle of high claims, high costs and higher premiums is so hard to stop, and what could keep the system going.

Why listen

• Two drivers that will not go away  Singapore is ageing, and medicine keeps getting better at a price. Dr Lim explains why double-digit rises in medical costs are hard to avoid, and where savings could come from instead.

• Insurers who ask questions  Records are digital and the data is better, so insurers can now query a bill. Dr Lim describes how they can steer patients to hospitals with good results, in return for better prices.

• Why prevention is a hard sell  Pushing back the onset of diabetes by a decade or more would ease demand on healthcare. But the savings arrive years later, while premiums renew every year and policyholders can leave. He explains why that gets in the way.

• A shrinking risk pool  If more people drop their riders and integrated plans, Dr Lim warns, the pools could become too small to work. He sets out what that would mean for the public system.

According to Dr Lim, healthcare accounts for only about 10 per cent of health outcomes, which leaves a lot for the rest of us to work on. Listen now.

Discover more episodes at bt.sg/podcasts. Got feedback? Email us at btpodcasts@sph.com.sg.

---

THE BUSINESS TIMES INSIGHTS

Powering Asean's Future 2026

Find out how enterprises are navigating power constraints and sustainability targets

ACCESS THE INSIGHTS

Written and hosted by: Genevieve Cua (gen@sph.com.sg)

With Dr Jeremy Lim, CEO & Co-founder, AMILI

Edited by: Rachna Raghu & Claressa Monteiro

Produced by: Genevieve Cua, Rachna Raghu & Nicole Teo

A podcast by BT Podcasts, The Business Times, SPH Media

---

Follow BT Correspondents:

Channel: bt.sg/btcobt

Amazon: bt.sg/btcoam

Apple Podcasts: bt.sg/btcoap

Spotify: bt.sg/btcosp

YouTube Music: bt.sg/btcoyt

Website: bt.sg/btcorresp

Do note: This podcast is meant to provide general information only. SPH Media accepts no liability for loss arising from any reliance on the podcast or use of third party’s products and services. Please consult professional advisors for independent advice.

---

Discover more BT podcast series:

BT Money Hacks: bt.sg/btmoneyhacks

BT Podcasts: bt.sg/pcOM

BT Market Focus: bt.sg/btmktfocus

BT Lens On: bt.sg/btlenson