Heart Support Fund

Singapore Heart Foundation provides financial assistance to needy heart patients through the Heart Support Fund.

Areas of Support

Mechanical Heart Device

Patients receive a 65-80% subsidy for the implantation of mechanical heart devices using the Health Science Development Fund from the Ministry of Health. However, the balance cannot be paid using the patient’s existing MediFund.

Patients with financial constraints can apply to SHF for help in paying for their mechanical heart devices.

Examples of implantable devices that qualify for financial assistance are:

ECMO
ABIOMED
THORATEC
HEARTMATE

SHF provides a subsidy of up to $20,000 to defray the cost of each patient’s mechanical heart device

Heart Transplant

Patients undergoing a heart transplant are eligible for the Heart Transplant Subsidy from the Ministry of Health. As there is a maximum cap on this subsidy, patients who are unable to settle the outstanding balance of their heart transplant expenses and subsequent follow-up treatment fees can request additional financial support from SHF.

SHF will assist each heart transplant patient with up to a maximum of $20,000.

Emergency Relief Assistance

Some patients suffer income loss after a cardiac treatment when they are unable to resume their former jobs and face difficulty in re-employment or when they have to take time off from work to attend cardiac rehabilitation programmes or routine medical appointments.

To help these patients adjust to periods of income loss, SHF offers emergency relief assistance of up to $800 per month for a maximum period of six months; and on a case-to-case basis, up to another three months for each patient, according to the treatment of their heart condition.

Transportation subsidy for hospital follow-up visits

For heart patients who require frequent follow-up visits to the hospital, SHF issues the CabCharge card to provide transport subsidy, such that patients can travel to and fro the hospital safely.

Sponsorship of medical and mobility devices

Heart patients who require close monitoring of their conditions but are unable to afford the medical devices can apply to SHF for assistance. By equipping them with medical devices like BP monitors and heart rate monitors, and mobility devices like wheelchairs, patients are empowered to cope and even thrive with their ongoing health issues.