Public Healthcare Fees Reform Aims to Enhance Support for Vulnerable Patients and Optimize Resource Use

Secretary for Health announces fees and charges reform for public healthcare

The Health Bureau announced the details of the fees and charges reform for public healthcare today (March 25). Reforming the subsidisation structure of the public healthcare services aims to guide the public to make optimal use of healthcare resources, reduce wastage and abuse, and enhance healthcare protection for "poor, acute, serious, critical" patients on all fronts, thereby enhancing the sustainability of the healthcare system and strengthening the public healthcare system to cope with the challenges posed by an ageing population, inflation of healthcare costs, etc, and serve as a safety net for all.

As an indispensable part of healthcare reform, the fees and charges reform for public healthcare covers the following three major areas, with a view to ensuring that limited healthcare resources can be directed in a targeted manner to help those patients most in need:

1.Reforming the subsidisation structure: Reforming the subsidisation structure from a systemic perspective by setting the levels of government subsidisation and the proportion of co-payments by members of the public for various public healthcare services to rationalise the relative demands for in-patient, accident and emergency, as well as different tiers of out-patient services.

2.Reducing waste and abuse: Introducing a co-payment model for non-urgent diagnostic radiology and pathology services, adjusting the charges for and quantities of standard drugs, making use of the fees and charges to drive changes to the public's behaviour in seeking medical treatment to guide the optimal use of resources.

3.Enhancing healthcare protection: Strengthening protection for "poor, serious, critical"patients on all fronts by enhancing the fee waiver mechanism, introducing an annual cap on fees and charges at $10,000, and increasing subsidies on drugs and medical devices for the critically ill, with a view to preventing "patients with serious conditions falling into poverty".

The Secretary for Health, Professor Lo Chung-mau, said, "Under the fees and charges reform, we will expand and enhance the co-payment mechanism, based on the principles of 'co-payment by those who can afford and co-payment by those with mild conditions', to strengthen the protection for 'poor, acute, serious, critical' patients. The Government's commitment to the public healthcare system will definitely not be lessened and all the gains from the reform will be wholly utilised for public healthcare services. On strengthening the safety net for all, the reform will enable us to further 'support the poor, save the acute patients, protect those with serious conditions, and help the critically ill', thereby making the safety net larger, more stable, thicker and denser."

The Hospital Authority (HA) will implement the new structure of fees and charges from January next year. The Chief Executive of the HA, Dr Tony Ko, added, "The HA will press ahead at full steam with the implementation of the reform. The structure of fees and charges of public hospitals in the future will focus on providing more support to 'poor, acute, serious, critical' patients and reduce wastage. The new fees and charges will remain at a level affordable to the public, while those with financial difficulties, or those suffering from critical and serious illnesses, will be better protected."

Professor Lo emphasised, "Hong Kong's public hospitals have long been one of the most efficient healthcare systems in the world. The reform will help to ensure that limited healthcare resources are directed to those patients most in need. The reform of healthcare fees and charges will proceed in a gradual and orderly manner. The review of public healthcare fees and charges will continue to be conducted every two years in accordance with the mechanism, with a view to achieving the reform objectives in five years, by which time the 90 per cent overall public subsidisation rate will be maintained. Alongside the implementation of the fees and charges reform for healthcare, the Government will continue to take forward healthcare reform in other areas to build a 'Healthy Hong Kong'."

Secretary for Health announces fees and charges reform for public healthcare Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases

Secretary for Health announces fees and charges reform for public healthcare Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases

HKSAR Government strongly condemns US senators' despicable attempt to intimidate HKSAR personnel safeguarding national security

The Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) Government today (May 17) strongly condemned those United States (US) senators who requested a review, through a so-called "bill", of including a number of judges, and prosecutors of the Department of Justice (DoJ), in a so-called list of "sanctions" in an attempt to intimidate the HKSAR personnel concerned who safeguard national security.

A spokesman for the HKSAR Government said, "It is clear that safeguarding national security falls within the internal affairs of a sovereign jurisdiction, so the implementation of the Hong Kong National Security Law (HKNSL) is free from any intervention. However, those US politicians insist on turning a blind eye to all these facts, and even clamour for so-called 'sanctions' against the HKSAR personnel and judges who dutifully safeguard national security. The HKSAR despises any so-called 'sanctions' and shall never be intimidated. It shall continue to resolutely discharge the responsibility of safeguarding national security. The HKSAR Government strongly urges the US politicians concerned to discern facts from fallacies, and immediately stop acting against the international law and basic norms of international relations and interfering in Hong Kong matters, which are purely China's internal affairs."

The spokesman pointed out, "Nearly five years having passed since the implementation of the HKNSL, the HKSAR law enforcement agencies have been taking law enforcement actions based on evidence and strictly in accordance with the law in respect of the acts of the persons or entities concerned, which have nothing to do with their political stance, background or occupation. The DoJ of the HKSAR is in charge of criminal prosecutions under Article 63 of the Basic Law, with all its prosecutorial decisions made on an objective analysis of all admissible evidence and applicable laws."

"The Judiciary of the HKSAR exercises judicial power independently in accordance with the law, and everyone charged with a criminal offence has the right to a fair hearing. The courts decide cases strictly in accordance with the evidence and all applicable laws. Cases will never be handled any differently owing to the professions, political beliefs or backgrounds of the persons involved. The prosecution has the burden to prove beyond reasonable doubt the commission of an offence before a defendant may be convicted by the court."

"The judicial system of the HKSAR has always been highly regarded by international communities. Any attempt by any country, organisation, or individual to interfere with the judicial proceedings in the HKSAR by means of political power is a reprehensible act undermining the rule of law of the HKSAR. Making any statement with the intent to interfere with or obstruct the course of justice, or engaging in conduct with the same intent, is very likely to constitute the offence of criminal contempt of court or the offence of perverting the course of justice."

The spokesman reiterated, "The HKSAR steadfastly safeguards national sovereignty, security and development interests, and fully and faithfully lives up to this top priority of the 'one country, two systems' principle. The HKSAR Government will, as always, resolutely, fully and faithfully implement the HKNSL, the Safeguarding National Security Ordinance and other relevant laws safeguarding national security in the HKSAR, to effectively prevent, suppress and impose punishment for acts and activities endangering national security in accordance with the law, whilst upholding the rights and freedoms of Hong Kong people in accordance with the law, so as to ensure the steadfast and successful implementation of the principle of 'one country, two systems'."