6 Nov 2026

SOURCE: CPF Board

Healthcare costs are among the most uncertain aspects of retirement planning and can be difficult to account for since nobody knows when they’ll fall sick. Yet, studies show they make up one of the highest categories of expenditure for many retiree households, coming in behind housing and food. 

Fortunately, supporting such expenses is where your MediSave Account (MA) comes in, and like your Special or Retirement Account, you can make top-ups to your MA or those of your loved ones. 

This helps the recipient build up their MA savings for future healthcare needs, and with the Matched MediSave Scheme (MMSS) providing a matching grant for cash top-ups, eligible seniors now have stronger support for doing so.

Double your cash top-ups with the MMSS

The Matched MediSave Scheme (MMSS) is intended to help eligible senior Singapore Citizens save more for healthcare needs by matching cash top-ups made to their MA. 

This means that the recipient effectively gets double the top-up made (subject to a cap), providing a helpful boost for eligible seniors who have not yet reached their Basic Healthcare Sum (BHS).

How does the MMSS work?

When an eligible senior or their loved one makes a cash top-up to their MA, the government matches it dollar-for-dollar — up to a maximum of S$1,000 annually. Top-ups can be made to the account at any time in the year, but the matching grant will only be assessed and disbursed in the following year. 

In practice, what this means is that if the maximum amount of $1,000 is topped up annually (either by the eligible member themselves or a loved one) over the full five years starting in 2026, the recipient's healthcare savings can be boosted by up to $11,000 in total, including interest earned*. 

*Do note cash top-ups that qualify for the matching grant will not be eligible for tax relief.

Who is eligible for the MMSS?

Singapore Citizens aged 55 to 70 who are eligible will be notified automatically by the CPF Board each year, so there’s no need to apply manually.

Alternatively, if they wish to check their status, they can do so via their personalised Healthcare Dashboard under the "matching grant for top-ups" section. Other eligibility criteria are listed below.

Notes: 

If you are a self-employed person, you must have an active GIRO arrangement with CPF Board to settle your MediSave payable via monthly instalments or have fully settled your MediSave payable. This also applies to those who were engaged in platform work prior to 2025.

Should you top up your MA if you're not MMSS-eligible?

Even if you or your loved ones aren't eligible for the MMSS at this point in time, making a top-up is still a good idea if your income allows.

On top of ensuring greater peace of mind for healthcare costs during retirement, there are plenty of different ways having more MA savings can benefit you.

1. Grow your MediSave savings with 4% p.a. interest 

Every month, depending on your age, a portion of your CPF contribution goes into your MA, though the contribution process is slightly different if you’re self-employed. Your MA savings then grow over time at the prevailing base interest rate of 4% p.a., helping you work towards your corresponding BHS. 

It's also best to start as soon as you can. Because of how compound interest works, your savings will grow more the earlier you begin, so making a cash top-up to your MA or those of your loved ones isn't merely a one-time boost – it actually translates to better savings growth in the long run.

2. Help support loved ones’ healthcare expenses

For the most part, your MA savings are meant to help offset hospitalisation and other approved treatment costs. By making top-ups to your MA or those of your loved ones, you (or the recipient) can be better prepared for future healthcare needs, including in retirement.

3. Enjoy tax relief on cash top-ups made to your MA 

Cash top-ups that attract the matching grant under the MMSS do not qualify for tax relief. However, for eligible cash top-ups that do not attract an MMSS or Matched Retirement Savings Scheme (MRSS) matching grant – you could enjoy up to $16,000 in tax relief each calendar year*.

This is capped at $8,000 across top-ups made to your own Special, Retirement and MediSave accounts, and up to another $8,000 for top-ups to your loved ones’ accounts.

*Terms and conditions apply.

Boost your MA savings with the Matched MediSave Scheme 

Even if your retirement lifestyle changes along the way, accounting for healthcare costs should remain a top priority. Building up the funds in your MA will make such expenses easier to address, and for eligible seniors, the Matched MediSave Scheme should provide a useful boost.

Information in this article is accurate as at the date of publication.