Full fee waivers rise 20-fold to 280,000 after healthcare reform, minister says
About 280,000 patients have secured full fee waivers since Hong Kong’s public healthcare fee reform took effect at the start of the year — a 20-fold increase from the previous figure of 14,000, the health minister has said. Secretary for Health Lo Chung-mau revealed the figures on Saturday as he defended the reform, which raised user fees for non-urgent and less serious services to reduce the…
The number of patients receiving full fee waivers in Hong Kong's public healthcare system has surged 20-fold to 280,000 since the start of the year, according to Health Minister Lo Chung-mau. This significant increase, from the previous 14,000 beneficiaries, is part of the healthcare fee reform introduced on January 1 to optimize resource use and better protect vulnerable groups.
The reform, aimed at transitioning towards a user-pays model, has raised user fees for non-urgent and less serious services, such as a visit to an accident and emergency department now costing HK$400, up from between HK$50 and HK$150. Additionally, the government's subsidy coverage for public healthcare costs will expand from 97.6% to 95%, ultimately aiming to reduce it to 90% within five years.
The reform also includes the acceleration of the approval process for innovative drugs and medical devices, with 17 medications added to the drug registry this year alone, ensuring patients with financial hardship can access necessary treatments without a heavy financial burden.
Brief written by urgent.news from South China Morning Post - Hong Kong's own syndicated text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
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