06/03/2026
Following the news that Singapore will extend MediShield Life and MediSave coverage to certain risk-reducing surgeries for individuals with hereditary breast and ovarian cancer (HBOC) syndrome, Dr Sabrina Ngaserin, breast surgeon at Mount Elizabeth Hospitals, shared her thoughts:
"Breast specialists have been advocating for this for years; it’s a relief to see policy catching up with clinical reality.
For individuals with HBOC syndrome, the pathway from genetic testing to risk-reducing treatment has been shown to be both clinically- and cost-effective. Soon, risk-reducing mastectomy and risk-reducing bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy will be covered by MediShield Life or MediSave. It’s encouraging to see Singapore recognise the value of prevention by extending coverage to medically indicated preventive surgery.”
She adds: “This sends an important message to the population: responsible, proactive steps in health should and will be supported. Together we can support more affected individuals in their journey toward cancer prevention, and not just wait for it to occur so we can treat it. This is a meaningful shift forward for our specialty, for our patients, for our society!”
Eligible patients can receive up to 70 per cent in subsidies for genetic tests, while MediShield Life coverage will be extended to selected risk-reducing surgical procedures.