About this article:
- Learn when allergy testing and treatment may be covered by MediShield Life or an Integrated Shield Plan.
- See why routine outpatient allergy tests may not be covered, and when corporate insurance could help.
- Find out what to check before seeing a specialist, including referrals, panel requirements and pre-authorisation.
Table of Contents
Sometimes, especially as we get older, new allergies may pop up. I don’t know about you, but it’s happened to me before. One day you’re eating your favourite nut mix like you usually do, and then suddenly you start getting an itchy throat, or your lips start to swell.
Or maybe you’ve spent months just breathing through one nostril because your other one is perpetually blocked. Perhaps you’ve been experiencing itchy eyes or recurring hives, and you’re starting to wonder whether you’re allergic to something or, as Google sometimes suggests, something more sinister.
Instead of spiralling, it may be time to find out what is causing the irritation. That could mean seeing a GP or specialist and undergoing an allergy test.
But once the appointments and tests start adding up, another question may come to mind:
Do I have to pay for everything out of pocket? Or can my health insurance help cover allergy testing and treatment?
💡Quick answer: Does health insurance cover allergy testing?
Routine outpatient allergy testing is generally not covered by MediShield Life.
An Integrated Shield Plan will also not provide coverage UNLESS the allergy testing and treatment is directly related to a hospital admission.
However, another insurance you can look to is your Corporate Insurance. Depending on your company benefits policy, allergy testing and treatment may be covered.
When might you need allergy testing?
Allergies are pretty common and can affect both adults and children. Some allergic reactions are obvious and quick, while others are less obvious and may take a while to show up.
If you are having an allergic reaction, you may experience:
- Recurring hives or unexplained swelling
- Eczema that keeps flaring up
- Sneezing, a blocked or runny nose, and itchy eyes
- Wheezing, coughing, or other respiratory symptoms
- Diarrhoea or vomiting
- Dizziness
- Reactions following insect stings or exposure to environmental allergens
If any of the above sounds familiar, then it may be time for an allergy test. There are many types of allergy tests, and most of the time, they are individualised to your symptoms.
Not sure if your plan covers what matters most?
Use the Hospital Bill Estimator to see what your expected costs could be.
What types of allergy tests are there in Singapore?
There are many different types of allergies, and hence, there is no single test that checks for every allergy.
The type of test your doctor recommends depends on what they suspect is triggering your symptoms.
Skin prick test
A skin prick test is typically the most common type of allergy test that is conducted.
A small amount of a suspected allergen is placed on the skin, which is then gently pricked or scratched. You will then wait about 30 minutes, and the area is observed for a reaction.
If you are sensitive to the allergen, a small raised and red area may develop.
Skin prick tests can investigate allergies to substances such as dust mites, foods, and other environmental allergens.
Allergy blood test
Allergy blood tests can measure allergen-specific IgE antibodies associated with particular substances.
They may be used instead of, or alongside, skin testing depending on your medical circumstances and the allergy being investigated. It can give your doctor a more accurate understanding of your level of allergy to a specific allergen.
Patch testing
Patch testing may be used when investigating certain delayed allergic reactions. This type of testing is useful if your allergic reaction takes hours or even days to come on. It helps diagnose delayed reactions and is commonly used for rashes, eczema, and other types of skin allergies.
Food or drug challenge
Sometimes, a diagnosis cannot be confirmed with skin or blood tests alone.
So, under medical supervision, you may be given carefully controlled exposure to a suspected food or medication to determine whether a reaction occurs.
These tests should be performed only under appropriate medical supervision because they can trigger an allergic reaction (which may be severe).
How are allergies treated?
Once you have undergone any of the tests above and you’re officially diagnosed with an allergy, your treatment will depend on what you are allergic to and how severe your reactions are.
If you have a relatively mild allergy, treatment may involve:
- Reducing or avoiding exposure to the allergen
- Antihistamines
- Nasal sprays
- Creams or medication for associated skin symptoms
- Follow-up appointments to monitor symptoms
If your allergy is more severe, you may need specialist treatment.
This may include immunotherapy, supervised food or drug challenges, dietary support, asthma management, or education on using an adrenaline auto-injector if there is a risk of a severe reaction.
Most importantly from an insurance perspective, much of this care may take place without being admitted to hospital and hence, will not be covered by your MediShield Life and Integrated Shield Plan.
When does insurance cover allergy testing and treatment?
Whether allergy testing or treatment is covered often depends on where the care takes place and whether it is linked to a hospital admission.
For example, imagine you eat something and suddenly develop difficulty breathing, swelling of the tongue or throat, or another severe allergic reaction. You are taken to the emergency department and subsequently admitted to hospital for treatment and observation.
If allergy testing or follow-up treatment is medically necessary and forms part of that hospital episode, some of these costs may be claimable under your MediShield Life and your Integrated Shield Plan, subject to the applicable claim limits, exclusions and policy conditions.
This is different from undergoing allergy testing as a routine outpatient procedure without a hospital admission.
Does MediShield Life cover allergy testing?
MediShield Life is primarily designed to help Singaporeans and Permanent Residents pay for large hospital bills and selected costly outpatient treatments.
These outpatient benefits are limited to specific treatments, such as kidney dialysis, certain cancer treatments, and selected high-cost drugs and therapies.
Routine outpatient allergy consultations, skin prick tests or blood tests does not generally not fall within MediShield Life coverage on their own.
However, if allergy-related investigations or treatment are part of a medically necessary hospital admission, they may form part of the hospital bill that is claimable under MediShield Life, subject to its prevailing claim rules.
What if you have an Integrated Shield Plan?
An Integrated Shield Plan, or IP, provides additional private insurance coverage on top of MediShield Life.
But having an IP does not mean that every specialist consultation, blood test, scan or outpatient treatment is automatically covered.
Like MediShield Life, Integrated Shield Plans are primarily designed around hospitalisation and related treatment. This means that allergy testing carried out purely as an outpatient service will generally not be covered unless your policy specifically provides such benefits.
Where things may be different is when the allergy testing or treatment is related to a medically necessary hospital admission.
For example, if you were admitted after a severe allergic reaction, medically necessary tests, specialist consultations or follow-up treatment carried out before or after that admission may be covered under your IP’s pre- and post-hospitalisation benefits.
The key point is that these expenses usually need to be related to the covered hospitalisation and fall within your insurer’s stipulated benefit period.
Before undergoing allergy testing or treatment, check:
- Whether the treatment or test is covered under your policy
- Whether it needs to be related to a hospital admission
- How long your pre- and post-hospitalisation coverage period is
- Whether a referral is required
- Whether you need to use a panel specialist or healthcare provider
- Whether pre-authorisation is required
Coverage varies between insurers and plans, so always check your individual policy terms before treatment.
What about company or corporate insurance?
If you are working, you may have additional coverage through Corporate Insurance. Employer medical benefits often work differently from an Integrated Shield Plan.
Depending on your company’s insurance, you may have benefits for GP visits, outpatient specialist visits, and even inpatient treatment.
Some employer plans may also extend benefits to your spouse or children.
That means an allergy specialist consultation or investigation not covered under your hospitalisation insurance may be claimable under your Corporate Insurance instead.
But again, the rules depend on your employer’s plan.
Additionally, there may be several requirements for your treatment to be covered; you may need:
- A GP or panel doctor referral
- To see a panel specialist
- Pre-authorisation for certain tests
- To stay within an annual specialist or outpatient limit
- To pay first and claim reimbursement later
If you have Corporate Insurance, don’t assume that everything is automatically covered, it may be, but just remember to check these benefits first before making a specialist appointment.
What if an allergic reaction sends you to A&E?
Most allergic reactions are not medical emergencies.
But a severe allergic reaction, known as anaphylaxis, can become life-threatening.
Symptoms can include breathing difficulty, throat or tongue swelling, wheezing, dizziness, or collapse.
People who are considered at risk of severe reactions may be prescribed an adrenaline auto-injector and given an allergy action plan.
If you suspect a severe allergic reaction, seek emergency medical attention immediately.
But from an insurance perspective, there is another distinction to understand: Going to A&E does not automatically mean you have been hospitalised.
Before you book an allergy test
Allergy testing can involve several appointments, tests, and follow-up visits, so it helps to check your coverage before you start.
Ask your insurer or employer benefits provider whether you need a referral, whether you must see a panel specialist, and whether any limits or pre-authorisation requirements apply.
Ultimately, knowing what kind of coverage you have before booking tests or specialist appointments can help you avoid unexpected out-of-pocket costs.
If you are unsure, check with your insurer or employer benefits provider before treatment so you know what is covered, what conditions apply and what you may need to pay yourself.
Know your coverage, before you need it
Before you need care, take time to check your coverage. It may make a meaningful difference to what you eventually pay.
