Man upset over hospital bill after baby dies in her sleep at home
A 25-year-old father in Singapore has expressed his frustration on Facebook after receiving a S$160 hospital bill following the death of his nearly three-month-old daughter, who passed away in her sleep at home on 12 April.
Source: Teck Lye on Facebook
Tan Teck Lye, who is self-employed, said he called for an ambulance after discovering his daughter unresponsive.
Paramedics from the Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) arrived and performed cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR), but found no pulse.
The infant was then taken to Woodlands Health Campus, where doctors were unable to revive her.
She was later pronounced dead and subsequently cremated.
Father feels S$160 hospital bill is unfair
Two weeks later, Mr Tan was shocked to receive a hospital bill for S$160 — a charge he told MS News he felt was unfair, as his daughter had already shown no signs of life by the time she arrived at the hospital.
He said:
She had no pulse, but they sent her anyway.
When asked why her body was brought to the hospital despite her passing at home, he explained that it was for official verification, including the issuance of a death certificate.
Mr Tan said he was frustrated because, in his view, the hospital did “nothing” to assist after she arrived.
He questioned why a fee was charged under such circumstances, adding that he would not have raised the issue publicly had no bill been issued.
Death certificate listed ‘no real reason’ for baby’s passing
Adding to the family’s distress, Mr Tan said the death certificate did not clearly state the cause of his daughter’s passing.
A photo of the document shows “cardiorespiratory failure pending further investigations” listed under the section for the disease or condition leading to death.
Source: Teck Lye on Facebook
Mr Tan said he was disheartened that, even after the hospital visit, there was still no definitive explanation.
He also noted that investigations were ongoing despite his daughter having already been cremated.
According to the SCDF, ambulance services for life-threatening emergencies are provided free of charge.
Photo courtesy of Teck Lye
However, the hospital charges appear to have stemmed from the Accident and Emergency (A&E) attendance fee, which amounted to S$320 before government subsidies were applied.
Source: Teck Lye on Facebook
Other costs, including those for laboratory investigations and clinic procedures, were also offset by subsidies.
Questions raised over hospital costs & fairness
Mr Tan expressed disappointment with the healthcare system, especially amid recent policy discussions in the lead-up to the 2025 General Election.
He questioned the justification for the Goods and Services Tax (GST) hike, which had been framed as a means to support healthcare spending.
“Lawrence Wong said the GST increase is to help with healthcare — so where is the help when I had to pay S$160 just for a doctor to verify my daughter’s death at the hospital?” he questioned.
He added that the situation “didn’t seem logical in any way”, pointing out that his daughter had already passed at home and was brought to the hospital as part of standard procedure to issue a death certificate or attempt resuscitation.
Netizens respond with sympathy & explanations
Following Mr Tan’s Facebook post, several netizens offered their condolences while pointing out that such charges are standard procedure.
One user suggested that Mr Tan could consider approaching a social worker for assistance, but added that “the charges so far are in order”, citing a similar experience where a doctor was required to certify death even when their own parent passed away at home.
Source: Teck Lye on Facebook
Another noted that the S$160 fee likely reflects the standard SCDF ambulance charge for emergency calls.
Source: Teck Lye on Facebook
Some commenters also criticised Mr Tan for politicising his daughter’s death, with a few pointing out that most of his medical costs — including the GST — had already been waived.
Source: Teck Lye on Facebook
In response to MS News’ queries, Woodlands Health stated that it has forwarded all inquiries to the relevant department for further assistance.
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Featured image adapted from Teck Lye on Facebook.
