Public hospitals are to charge HK$90,000 for last-minute deliveries of babies by non-local mothers in accident and emergency wards from today. Critics said the price increase alone would not deter mainland women from giving birth in the city to gain the right of abode for their children.
The rise of almost 90 per cent - the charge has been HK$48,000 until now - was gazetted yesterday.
'This minimum rate covers the charges for the delivery and the first three days of hospitalisation in general wards [ie. a two-night stay] for the delivery concerned,' the Hospital Authority said.
The charge for giving birth with a prior booking in a public hospital obstetrics ward will stay at HK$39,000; however, the entire quota for such births for non-local mothers for this year is taken.
The price rise is the latest measure intended to curb the influx of mainland mothers-to-be, especially those without bookings who dash to emergency wards for a last-minute delivery. Last year, 1,657 mainland women did so.
Neither public nor private hospitals will allow bookings of beds in their maternity wards next year by mainland women unless they are married to Hong Kong men, after chief executive-elect Leung Chun-ying and the Food and Health Bureau announced a 'zero quota' policy.