What CHAS does
The CHAS card (Community Health Assist Scheme) is the actual subsidy. You bring it to a CHAS-participating clinic and the bill drops automatically. No claim forms. No reimbursement to chase. You just pay less at the counter.
There are over 1,000 GP and dental clinics that take CHAS in Singapore.
The card colours, plain
The colour tells you how much subsidy you get. Higher subsidies for lower household incomes.
- Blue card — for the lowest household per-person incomes. Highest subsidies.
- Orange card — for moderate household incomes. Lower subsidies but still meaningful.
- Pioneer Generation card — if you were a Singapore citizen by 1986 and turned 65 by 2014. Highest subsidies, separate scheme.
- Merdeka Generation card — born in the 1950s with at least 20 years as a citizen. Generous subsidies, in between.
The exact income thresholds shift every year or two with the Budget. The calculator at chas.sg works out which tier you qualify for.
What you save
Concrete examples for an Orange card holder at a typical CHAS GP:
- A normal consultation: around $10 instead of $35.
- Dental scaling and polishing: around $25 instead of $50.
- Chronic condition follow-up: subsidised by up to $135 per year per condition (diabetes, hypertension, asthma, and others).
For a Blue card holder, the subsidies are roughly twice as large.
Who qualifies
- Singapore citizen. (PRs don't get CHAS.)
- Household per-person income under the cap. The cap is published each year on chas.sg.
- Or a senior on the Pioneer or Merdeka Generation packages, automatic with no application.
How to apply
- Online at chas.sg with Singpass. Around 10 minutes.
- The card arrives by post in 2 to 3 weeks.
- Renewal is every 2 years. The renewal notice goes by SMS and the form is also online.
What to bring to a CHAS clinic
The CHAS card or your IC. Most clinics can look you up by IC alone. Tell the clinic at the start of the visit that you have CHAS so the discount applies.
Common worries
"I lost the card." Replace it at chas.sg. Your IC works at most clinics in the meantime.
"Will every clinic take it?" Only CHAS-participating clinics. The chas.sg site has a clinic finder; most neighbourhood GPs and dentists are in the scheme.
"What if my income changes?" You can re-apply for a higher tier. The card is reassessed every 2 years anyway.
"I'm a PR — anything similar?" No CHAS, but specific subsidy schemes (MediFund for hospital bills, MediShield Life premiums) still apply. The matcher will pick those up.
Apply or check eligibility
Use the matcher to see if CHAS is one of the things you'd qualify for, alongside other healthcare schemes. Try the matcher, or apply directly at chas.sg.