Lower premiums could be an incentive for bosses if health care reforms result in mandatory medical insurance, a government source said yesterday.
He said a mandatory insurance premium would be unified and generally lower than for voluntary insurance plans because the pool of policyholders would be larger and risks could be shared better.
According to an example given in the health care reform proposal released by the government last month, the premium for mandatory medical coverage, covering hospital treatment, would be HK$2,544 a year for all age groups.
In the example, the government projected that 1.07 million people aged between 18 and 64 and earning HK$15,000 a month or more would be required to join the insurance plan.
The source said a mandatory insurance plan could attract employers who used company medical benefits to retain staff.
He said employers could use their current worker medical cover to top up a future mandatory medical plan, if necessary.
