In brief
The Health Information Bill was tabled for a second reading and subsequently passed in parliament on 12 January 2026. The Ministry of Health (MOH) intends for the Health Information Bill to take effect from early 2027 to give healthcare providers sufficient time to familiarise themselves with its requirements and to strengthen their cybersecurity and data security standards.
In more detail
The Health Information Bill was announced in late 2022, with the MOH providing several updates over the years on its objectives and status. Our March 2023, December 2023 and November 2025 alerts provide further details on the background and key requirements of the Health Information Bill.
Following the second reading in parliament, the MOH announced that it intends for the Health Information Bill to take effect from early 2027. This would ensure that healthcare providers have sufficient time to familiarise themselves with the requirements under the Health Information Bill and to strengthen their cybersecurity and data security standards.
The MOH also reiterated that access to the National Electronic Health Record (NEHR) for insurance purposes is strictly prohibited. As a general starting position, insurers do not have access to the NEHR, although they may be able to request medical information from healthcare providers on a case-by-case basis. Accessing the NEHR for insurance purposes is an offence, with offenders liable upon conviction to a fine of up to SGD 100,000 and/or imprisonment for up to four years.
To address the unauthorised use of health information in the NEHR, the MOH has implemented technical controls, only granting authorised individuals access to the types of data required for their patient care duties and imposing system-level controls to limit unauthorised access. The MOH will also be progressively rolling out additional technical measures and processes to limit and detect unauthorised access to NEHR information. Patients will also be able to monitor access to their NEHR information through their HealthHub account and can report suspicious activities to the MOH for investigation.
The MOH will be issuing guidance materials and dedicated support channels from the second quarter of 2026 to assist healthcare providers and professionals to understand the requirements under the Health Information Bill.
Key takeaways
Healthcare providers and professionals should closely monitor the MOH’s further announcements and guidance materials in relation to the Health Information Bill. Given the new set of requirements that will be imposed and the heightened public scrutiny on how patient information is handled, it would be prudent to ensure that all of the requirements under the Health Information Bill, once in force, are complied with.
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