HI Exam Study Guide (2026)
Everything the CMFAS Health Insurance (HI) Module tests, topic by topic: what each section covers, the facts that come up most, and how to study it. Pair it with the free 15-question practice test.
The exam at a glance
| Questions | 50 multiple-choice questions |
|---|---|
| Time | 1 hour 15 minutes |
| Passing score | 70% (35 out of 50) |
| Format | Closed book, computer-based |
| Certifying body | Singapore College of Insurance (SCI) |
| Test provider | SCI computer-based examination centre, Singapore |
Mind map: the whole exam on one screen
Read the complete HI study notes for “Singapore's Healthcare Financing Framework”
Our first full set of comprehensive notes, about 11 minutes of reading: S + 3M · Who pays first · Why co-payment exists · Where private insurance fits, a worked exam example, the traps examiners use and a one-minute recap. Create a free account to read it and see how premium notes work before you decide.
1. Singapore's Healthcare Financing Framework
How Singapore pays for healthcare: government subsidies plus the 3Ms (MediSave, MediShield Life, MediFund), with private insurance on top.
Key facts
- Government subsidies make public healthcare affordable, especially in subsidised wards.
- MediSave is a compulsory medical savings account within CPF.
- MediShield Life is basic, universal, lifetime health insurance for large bills.
- MediFund is the safety net for needy patients after other means are exhausted.
- Private insurance (such as Integrated Shield Plans) adds cover for higher ward classes and private hospitals.
- The system emphasises personal responsibility with co-payment.
Flashcards
Exam tip: Know the order: subsidies, then MediShield Life/IP, then MediSave/cash, then MediFund as the last resort.
2. MediShield Life and Integrated Shield Plans
The national basic plan and the private top-ups built on it.
Key facts
- MediShield Life covers all Singapore citizens and PRs for life, including pre-existing conditions.
- It is designed for large hospital bills in subsidised wards and selected outpatient treatments.
- Integrated Shield Plans combine MediShield Life with private additional coverage.
- MediSave can pay MediShield Life premiums and part of the IP's additional premium, up to set limits.
- IP riders must be paid in cash.
- Riders sold from April 2019 must include at least 5% co-payment.
Flashcards
Exam tip: MediSave pays for plans, never for riders. That single rule answers several questions.
3. Long-Term Care: CareShield Life and ElderShield
Severe disability insurance in Singapore and how it's triggered.
Key facts
- CareShield Life started in 2020 and covers citizens and PRs born in 1980 or later automatically.
- It pays lifetime monthly cash payouts for severe disability.
- Severe disability means being unable to perform at least 3 of 6 activities of daily living.
- The 6 ADLs: washing, dressing, feeding, toileting, walking or moving around, and transferring.
- ElderShield is the earlier scheme for people born in 1979 or earlier.
- Supplements can top up payouts and may be paid partly from MediSave within limits.
Flashcards
Exam tip: Memorise the six ADLs and the '3 of 6' trigger; they appear in many forms.
Test yourself on these topics
Take the free 15-question HI test, then save your results to unlock your Readiness Score and the mistakes bank.
4. Critical Illness and Disability Income Insurance
Lump-sum critical illness cover and income replacement for disability.
Key facts
- Critical illness policies pay a lump sum on diagnosis of a covered illness.
- The LIA's standard definitions cover 37 severe-stage critical illnesses.
Flashcards
Exam tip: Accelerated vs additional (standalone) CI: only accelerated reduces the death benefit.
5. Other Health Insurance Products
Hospital cash, medical expense, personal accident and other health products.
Key facts
- Hospital cash pays a fixed daily amount during hospitalisation.
- Medical expense (hospital and surgical) policies reimburse actual bills up to limits.
Flashcards
Exam tip: Deductible first, then co-insurance: know the order when calculating what the insured pays.
6. Underwriting, Claims and Policy Provisions
How health risks are assessed and how claims work.
Key facts
- Underwriting considers medical history, age, occupation and lifestyle.
- Pre-existing conditions may be excluded or loaded in private plans.
Flashcards
Exam tip: MediShield Life covers pre-existing conditions; private plans may not. Questions love that contrast.
How to pass
- 50 questions in 75 minutes is 1 minute 30 seconds each, the most generous pace in CMFAS. Use the time to read scenario questions twice.
- Draw the healthcare framework once: government subsidies, MediSave, MediShield Life, MediFund, then private cover on top. Many questions test where each piece fits.
- Know what MediSave can and can't pay for. Integrated Shield Plan riders, for example, must be paid in cash.
- You need 35 out of 50 to pass.
Frequently asked questions
How long should I study for the HI exam?
Most working candidates need 4 to 8 weeks at 45 to 60 minutes a day. Book your exam once your Readiness Score has stayed at 80 or higher for about a week.
Can I take the HI exam online?
CMFAS modules are computer-based exams sat in person at the examination body's centre in Singapore. Format: closed book, computer-based. Check the current candidate information from Singapore College of Insurance for the rules.
What score do I need to pass the HI exam?
70% (35 out of 50). The exam has 50 multiple-choice questions and a time limit of 1 hour 15 minutes.
What are the most tested topics?
The outline covers singapore's healthcare financing framework, medishield life and integrated shield plans, long-term care: careshield life and eldershield, critical illness and disability income insurance, other health insurance products, underwriting, claims and policy provisions. Use the free practice test to see which ones you need most.
The premium HI study path
Premium HI prep is studied one topic at a time. Each step starts with that topic's key notes and flashcard deck, then its own question sets of 25, so you master one topic before you move to the next. When every topic is strong, the 6 full mock exams show you're ready.
Your step-by-step study path
- 1Singapore's Healthcare Financing Framework10 key notes, 135 flashcards, then 500 practice questions in 20 sets of 25Notes free with an account
- 2MediShield Life and Integrated Shield Plans10 key notes, 135 flashcards, then 500 practice questions in 20 sets of 25Premium
- 3Long-Term Care: CareShield Life and ElderShield10 key notes, 135 flashcards, then 500 practice questions in 20 sets of 25Premium
- 4Critical Illness and Disability Income Insurance10 key notes, 135 flashcards, then 500 practice questions in 20 sets of 25Premium
- 5Other Health Insurance Products10 key notes, 130 flashcards, then 500 practice questions in 20 sets of 25Premium
- 6Underwriting, Claims and Policy Provisions10 key notes, 130 flashcards, then 500 practice questions in 20 sets of 25Premium
- Final step: 6 full mock exams50 questions each, timed like test day. Pass them, then book your exam.Premium
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Premium Yearly
- One CMFAS module of your choice, from RES5 to M9A, HI or CM-SIP
- 3,000 practice questions + 6 full mock exams per exam
- 800 flashcards + 60 key notes per exam, by topic, plus mind maps
- Spaced repetition + mistakes bank
- Readiness Score & detailed reports
- Video lessons as they release
- Content updates during your access
- 5 bonuses: key numbers sheet, formula sheet, study planner and more
- Pass Guarantee: complete the prep, pass or 100% back
Renews once a year until you cancel. We email you before each renewal. Cancel any time from your account; you keep access until the end of the year you've paid for.
Summarized from SCI's and IBF's official candidate information and the rules cited, checked October 2026. Confirm current requirements with Singapore College of Insurance (SCI).