What the colour of a CHAS card changes at the GP clinic

At the neighbourhood clinic, two patients see the same doctor for the same cough. One pays noticeably less at the counter. The difference is a card in her purse: CHAS Blue. The other, who has never applied, assumed CHAS was “only for poor families”. It is not. Every Singapore citizen is eligible, and even the tier with the smallest subsidies covers things many middle-income families need.

The Community Health Assist Scheme (CHAS) gives subsidies for medical and dental care at participating general practitioner (GP) and dental clinics. This guide sets out the three colours, what each covers, and how to apply, using the figures published on the official CHAS website.

Who gets which colour

CHAS benefits are tiered by household monthly income per person, which is the household’s total gross monthly income divided by the number of family members living together. For households with no income, the Annual Value (AV) of the home is used instead.

Source: CHAS, Eligibility. Gross monthly income includes basic pay, self-employed income, overtime, allowances, cash awards, commissions and bonuses.

Pioneer Generation and Merdeka Generation seniors receive their own special subsidies at CHAS clinics. Singapore citizens on Public Assistance do not need to apply; their PA card gives full CHAS subsidies, within the usual limits on visits and treatments.

Common illnesses: the biggest difference between tiers

For a common illness such as a cough or a cold, CHAS Blue gives a subsidy of up to S$18.50 per visit and CHAS Orange up to S$10 per visit, capped at 24 visits per patient per calendar year across all CHAS clinics. CHAS Green has no common-illness subsidy. That is the main thing a Green cardholder does not get.

Chronic conditions: where every tier helps

CHAS covers 23 chronic conditions, including diabetes (and pre-diabetes), high blood pressure, high cholesterol, asthma, osteoarthritis, osteoporosis, stroke and dementia. Subsidies are tiered as “simple” (one chronic condition) or “complex” (two or more, or one with complications).

Source: CHAS card pages (Blue, Orange, Green). Your GP decides whether a visit is simple or complex.

Healthier SG: an alternative for chronic medicines

Cardholders enrolled with a Healthier SG clinic can choose, at each chronic visit, between the CHAS Chronic Tier and the Healthier SG Chronic Tier. The latter gives a percentage subsidy, with no dollar cap, on common chronic medicines on the Healthier SG Medication List: 75% for Blue and Orange cardholders, and 50% for Green cardholders on Standard Drug List medicines. Only one tier can be used per visit, and balances are pro-rated when you switch. For someone on several long-term medicines, the percentage subsidy can be worth more than the capped dollar amount; the clinic can advise.

Good to know

Healthier SG screening for conditions such as cardiovascular disease, cervical cancer and colorectal cancer costs a fixed S$2 for eligible Blue and Orange cardholders and S$5 for Green, covering the tests and the first post-screening consultation.

Dental care

CHAS Blue and Orange also subsidise selected dental procedures; Green does not. According to CHAS, Blue subsidies range from S$11 to S$615 per procedure and Orange from S$7.50 to S$410, depending on the procedure. From 1 October 2025, MOH extended subsidies for ten basic and preventive procedures, such as scaling and polishing, to Orange cardholders and raised subsidies for seven restorative procedures, such as root canal treatment and dentures. CHAS dental clinics must also display fee benchmarks for common procedures next to their price lists.

How to apply, and what it costs

Any Singapore citizen aged 21 and above can apply online with Singpass for themselves and the family members living with them. The card is also available in digital form in the Singpass app. Apply only on chas.sg itself; no private website is involved. At the clinic, show your card and NRIC; clinics must give CHAS patients an itemised bill showing the charge, the subsidy claimed and the amount you pay.

CHAS is not insurance. You still co-pay the difference between the clinic’s fee and the subsidy. For hospital bills, the relevant scheme is MediShield Life, explained in what your MediShield Life premium is before and after the subsidy.

Who this matters for, and what to check

• Any citizen without a card: even Green gives chronic and screening subsidies.
• Households whose income has fallen, for example at retirement: check whether your card’s tier still matches your household’s income per person when you renew.
• Retired households with no income: the tier is decided by your home’s Annual Value; see how Annual Value is set.
• Patients with several chronic conditions: ask whether the CHAS or Healthier SG chronic tier is better for you.
• Anyone planning dental work: check the procedure’s subsidy and the clinic’s fee benchmark first.

The takeaway

The colour of a CHAS card decides how much a GP visit, a chronic check-up or a dental filling costs you. Blue and Orange help with everyday illnesses and dental care; Green helps with chronic conditions and screening. Every Singapore citizen can apply, and for many families the only reason they have no card is that they never asked.