Hong Kong's rush into raising healthcare charges is a mistake
[email protected] or filling in
this Google form . Submissions should not exceed 400 words, and must include your full name and address, plus a phone number for verification
Advertisement
Hong Kong's public healthcare system was built on a promise: no one should be bankrupted by illness. With the government eyeing substantial
fee increases for emergency and diagnostic services, we're left wondering if officials have thought this through. Against a backdrop of an
ageing population , younger individuals developing chronic conditions and spiralling medical costs, the proposal is poorly timed. Raising fees without a comprehensive
financing plan is like rearranging deck chairs on the Titanic – it misses the iceberg entirely.
The current system, where the government foots
97 per cent of public healthcare costs, has papered over three glaring structural problems. First, we're facing a severe public-private resource imbalance. Private hospitals enjoy tax breaks and
discounted land grants while charging fees that make most citizens recoil. When emergency services costing HK$2,400 (US$310) are
priced at just HK$180 , is it any surprise patients with minor sniffles flock to public facilities?
Second, the
voluntary insurance scheme has turned out to be a damp squib. Without provisions for
high-risk pooling or guaranteed acceptance, chronic patients and vulnerable groups have been left high and dry. Third,
primary care – the frontline defence that could take pressure off hospitals – remains woefully underdeveloped.
Without tackling these issues head-on, fee increases will hit vulnerable groups hard. Middle-class families already struggle with expenses for cancer medications that cost up to HK$20,000 per month. Working-class residents might delay treatment until their condition worsens, while chronic patients might skip vital check-ups altogether.
Advertisement
The government should implement three substantial solutions instead of rushing towards fee increases.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
HKFP
12 hours ago
- HKFP
Hong Kong to add more district-level ‘care teams' as gov't set to renew service terms
Hong Kong is set to add three more district-level 'care teams' later this year, bringing the total number of government-sponsored community service groups to 455, the government has announced. The secretary for home and youth affairs, Alice Mak, said on Friday that the government would invite the organisations currently behind the existing 452 care teams to continue their services after their terms expire in late September and mid-October. Chief Executive John Lee announced the establishment of district-level care teams in his 2022 Policy Address, in a move to bolster the authorities' capacity in 'district governance.' A total of 452 teams began a two-year service period in 2023. The teams are required to make regular visits to elderly people and other residents in need, respond to emergencies such as extreme weather events, and promote national security in communities, according to the Home Affairs Department. On Friday, Mak praised the care teams for completing their services under the government's requirements. 'Care Teams in all sub-districts have nearly completed their services in accordance with the key performance indicators (KPIs). Some teams have even exceeded the requirements,' Mak said in a statement. She also announced that the government would make adjustments to the care teams' service boundaries due to factors like demographic changes in the sub-districts. Sha Ta in the North District will be split into two sub-districts due to its extensive area, while Sheung Shui Rural, also in the North District, and Hang Hau West, in the Sai Kung District, will each add a new team because of population growth, she said. Boundaries of six other sub-districts will also be 'fine-tuned,' she added. 'With these adjustments, the total number of Care Teams will increase from 452 to 455.' Last year, Lee announced that the government would regularise the funding and increase it by 50 per cent for care teams in the next term of service. As of June this year, the care teams had visited about 530,000 elderly households and other residents in need, provided about 76,000 times of support services, and organised about 38,000 district-level activities, according to official figures released on Friday. The work of the care teams came under the spotlight in January this year, after a student-made documentary found that some care teams sought to bolster numbers by inviting event participants to pose as volunteers for photos. District officers also rejected the student journalists' request for the care teams' financial and performance reports. Mak defended the non-disclosure at that time, saying it was 'appropriate' to provide the information only after the care teams had completed their service period. Each care team consists of eight to 12 members. Currently, each team receives government subsidies of around HK$800,000 to HK$1.2 million for a two-year term.
South China Morning Post
19 hours ago
- South China Morning Post
Pfizer, Chinese biotech firm 3SBio complete worldwide licensing deal for cancer drug
First announced in May, the deal will see 3SBio – based in Shenyang, capital of northeastern Liaoning province – receive a US$1.25 billion upfront payment from Pfizer for the exclusive right to sell its cancer drug, SSGJ-707, outside China. Under the terms of their agreement, Pfizer will also pay 3SBio up to US$150 million to solely develop and commercialise SSGJ-707 within the mainland, the two companies said on Thursday. Pfizer also agreed to buy 31.1 million new shares in S3Bio, or a 1.3 per cent equity stake, for HK$785 million, according to a stock exchange filing. The deal at HK$25.2055 per share represents a 17 per cent discount to its market price on Thursday. 3SBio's shares fell 6.41 per cent to HK$28.45 on Friday. The transaction reflected the strong momentum of Chinese biotech firms in the field of drugs research and the increased interest from major foreign pharmaceutical companies to license their intellectual property.
South China Morning Post
a day ago
- South China Morning Post
What to do at Hong Kong Fitness and Wellness Expo 2025, from Hyrox to saunas and ice baths
The global wellness industry is booming, much of it fuelled by a pandemic-influenced shift in mindset that sees people focusing more on physical and mental well-being. The numbers speak for themselves: according to a report from the Global Wellness Institute, the sector was worth US$6.3 trillion in 2023. It is no surprise, then, that Hong Kong's annual Fitness and Wellness Expo (FWE) is also getting bigger. Now in its fifth year, FWE takes place this weekend, July 26-27, at AsiaWorld-Expo. Guests can expect an endorphin-packed couple of days. This year's FWE will again feature Hyrox, the indoor fitness competition that attracts athletes from around the world. Photo: Edmond So Hyrox, a global indoor fitness competition combining running and functional workout stations designed for all fitness levels, is again a key feature.
