Medisave BHS 2026 Calculator

What Is the Basic Healthcare Sum (BHS)?

The Basic Healthcare Sum is the maximum amount of CPF Medisave savings the Singapore Government estimates a member needs for their basic medical needs in old age. For 2026, the BHS for members aged 65 and below is $75,500 (up from $71,500 in 2025). Once a member's Medisave balance reaches the BHS, any further contributions overflow first to the Special Account (if under 55), then to the Retirement Account (if 55 or over and the FRS is not yet reached), and finally to the Ordinary Account (source: CPF Board, Ministry of Health).

Critical rule — BHS is frozen at age 65: The BHS that applies to you for the rest of your life is the BHS in the year you turn 65. If you turn 65 in 2030, your BHS is whatever the published figure is in 2030. Members under 65 get the current-year BHS, which rises ~3-5% annually with healthcare inflation.

2026 BHS Math — How Overflow Works

If your Medisave balance is at the 2026 BHS ($75,500) and you receive $800/month in employer + self contributions, that $800 does NOT add to Medisave. Instead, it flows according to age: under 55 → Special Account (SA, 4% rate), 55+ if RA not full → Retirement Account (4% rate), 55+ if RA at FRS → Ordinary Account (OA, 2.5% rate). This creates a meaningful retirement-savings boost: someone who hits BHS early in their career can divert $9,600/year into SA at 4% — over 20 years, that compounds to about $290,000 in additional SA balance.

Worked example: Age 45, Medisave $50,000, monthly contribution $800, BHS $75,500 (2026), BHS growth 5%/year, Medisave rate 4%. The balance grows about $2,000/year from interest plus $9,600/year from contributions = ~$11,600/year. But BHS rises by $3,775/year (5% of $75,500). After ~3-4 years, the balance reaches the prevailing BHS, and overflow begins. From that point until age 65, monthly contributions overflow to SA, accumulating roughly $230,000 of additional SA balance over 17 years.

Why BHS Matters for Retirement Planning

Many Singaporeans treat Medisave as a "lost" account that funds healthcare only — but BHS overflow is one of the most powerful CPF retirement-boost mechanisms. Members who max out Medisave early and let overflow accumulate in SA gain access to the 4% SA interest rate on what would otherwise be 2.5% OA money. For high earners at 55+, this can shift CPF Life payouts higher because the spillover often increases the RA balance.

Strategy — Maximizing BHS Overflow

(1) Voluntary top-ups while young — top up Medisave early via VC-MA or RSTU to fast-track BHS attainment, locking in earlier overflow. (2) Self-employed Medisave — required minimum contributions are tied to BHS levels; understand your annual minimum on the IRAS website. (3) Track BHS freeze year — your post-65 BHS is frozen, so withdrawals after 65 (e.g. for chronic illness) reduce balance permanently. (4) MediShield Life premium offset — Medisave can pay MediShield Life and Integrated Shield Plan premiums up to age-based caps; this depletes Medisave but is often optimal vs cash payment.

For other Singapore CPF tools, see our CPF retirement calculator, CPF Life payout estimator, self-employed Medisave, and MediSave Life payout.

Last updated April 2026. Estimates only — verify current BHS at cpf.gov.sg. The $75,500 figure is the 2026 BHS for members under 65; verify your applicable figure based on your age cohort. Sources: CPF Board, Ministry of Health Singapore.