Plan for 'high-risk pool' to take heat off health insurers

The government is considering subsidising a separate insurance pool to cover Hongkongers at high risk of medical problems or those with pre-existing conditions who sign up for a voluntary medical insurance scheme it is proposing.

The idea removes a big obstacle to the proposed scheme, which the Food and Health Bureau will put to public consultation later this year.

Health minister York Chow Yat-ngok will brief the Health and Medical Development Advisory Committee today on the government-developed but industry-run scheme, whose goal is to cover at least 500,000 people and thereby relieve financial pressure on the public health system.

Under the proposal, insurance companies would provide clients with a basic plan featuring guaranteed renewal for life and coverage of packaged services at private hospitals. They would also be able to market 'top-up' plans with better coverage. Patients would pay a portion of their medical bills under an arrangement known as co-payments.

But coverage for high-risk people, such as the elderly, obese and smokers, or those with pre-existing conditions has been a stumbling block between the government and insurance companies. Officials say the scheme has to provide adequate coverage for such people, but insurers say the cost would be too high.

A government-commissioned consultancy report proposes setting up a 'high-risk pool', supported by a government subsidy, to finance the care of high-risk people and those with pre-existing conditions.