Public hospitals boss wants insured to pay more than HK$100

Patients who join a proposed voluntary health insurance scheme should be asked to pay a higher proportion of the costs of their treatment in public hospitals, then claim the money on their insurance, Hospital Authority chairman Anthony Wu Ting-yuk says.

Instead of paying only a heavily subsidised charge of HK$100 a day, public patients covered by the proposed government-regulated scheme would pay part of the full cost of HK$3,300 a day.

Wu said: 'The idea is to ask public patients to pay us the reimbursements they can get under the insurance scheme. They will not need to pay extra out of their pocket. With the extra income, we can improve our services and cut waiting time for needy patients.' The proposal, which the authority chief aired for the first time yesterday, is supported by a patients' group.

The government plans to consult the public this year on a voluntary medical insurance scheme intended to cover at least 500,000 people, including those with pre-existing conditions.

Secretary for Food and Health Dr York Chow Yat-ngok yesterday briefed the Health and Medical Development Advisory Committee on details of an insurance scheme proposed by a consultant. The proposed basic plan will cover a hospital daily room charge of HK$550 and surgical fees ranging from HK$26,000 to HK$124,000.

The bureau's spokesman said the government and the committee in general agreed with the proposal but details have to be worked out.