Hong Kong think tank proposes targeted voucher scheme to screen residents for chronic diseases, offer subsidies based on medical needs
- Our Hong Kong Foundation says scheme aims to encourage early detection and management of chronic diseases, alleviate pressure on public hospitals
- Hospital Authority chairman Henry Fan says scheme could add strain on public health care system and instead suggests private sector should shoulder primary care responsibilities
A targeted medical voucher scheme should be introduced in Hong Kong so that residents can be screened for chronic diseases and receive subsidies based on their medical needs, a think tank has said.
Our Hong Kong Foundation claimed in a report released on Monday that the move would help save at least HK$12.5 billion (US$1.6 billion) in expenses over 30 years.
But the operator of the city’s public hospitals said such a scheme could increase workload and put a strain on the health care system if manpower and financing issues were not addressed.
The think tank founded by the city’s first post-handover leader, Tung Chee-hwa, said the scheme would “alleviate pressure on public hospitals and curb health care costs”, and encourage early detection and management of common chronic diseases.
At present, residents aged 65 and above are each given a medical voucher worth HK$2,000 (US$257) every year to use on public and private health care.