Hong Kong elderly health care scheme extended to HKU-Shenzhen hospital under new deal
Patients will be able to get treatment as part of existing government voucher scheme at mainland medical institution
Elderly patients will soon be able to use health care vouchers for treatment at the University of Hong Kong-Shenzhen hospital, it was announced on Friday.
Secretary for Food and Health Dr Ko Wing-man said the government had reached an agreement with the Shenzhen hospital to extend coverage of the scheme, which gives each Hong Kong resident aged 70 or older HK$2,000 to spend on medical services from private providers.
"Use of the voucher is the same as in Hong Kong … as long as the elderly person has registered and has an account, the HKU-Shenzhen Hospital will deduct money from the voucher account to pay for medical services in the hospital," said Ko.
A mechanism for the currency exchange between Hong Kong dollars and renminbi has been worked out.
Ko said the hospital was chosen as the first mainland institution covered by the scheme because it was "relatively similar" to the Hong Kong system. The government would assess the arrangement before considering extending the scheme to other mainland health institutions.
Chief Secretary Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor first revealed the plan in January while attending a Hong Kong-Shenzhen cooperation meeting. A deal will be signed on Monday and become effective on Tuesday.
One patients' group said that although the new arrangement provided greater convenience for elderly Hong Kong citizens, the advantages may be limited.
"I do not oppose the idea, but I believe the number of people who will benefit is not a lot," said Tim Pang Hung-cheong of the Society for Community Organisation, adding that there had been a drop in the number of Hong Kong elderly living on the mainland.
According to the Census and Statistics Department, the number of local residents aged 60 or over staying on the mainland dropped from 121,700 in 2007 to 115,500 in 2011.
