GRASSROOTS and welfare organisations used the last day of public consultation on the Government's proposals on hospital funding to condemn any move to increase medical fees.
As Tsuen Wan residents protested against the consultation document Towards Better Health outside the Legislative Council yesterday, a survey was released which showed overwhelming dislike of the proposals among public hospital patients and their relatives.
And the Hong Kong Christian Service warned that old people and the poor would suffer if fees rose faster than inflation.
One consultation paper option proposes reducing the level of government subsidy of hospital beds from the current 98 per cent to 95 per cent.
The cost of an acute hospital bed would rise from $43 to $105 per day.
Another option suggests introducing itemised charges and a $100 hospital admission charge.
Other options include a streamlined fee-waiver system for groups like the elderly and chronically ill and semi-private beds.
