Opinion | Fee hikes are only half the equation if Hong Kong health reform is to work
If paired with viable service alternatives, clear guidance and a stronger focus on prevention, price rises could become a catalyst for real change
From January 1-18, semi-urgent and non-urgent cases at accident and emergency (A&E) departments fell by 21.3 per cent year on year, while critical and emergency cases rose slightly, by 7.7 per cent. This indicates resources shifting towards more serious needs.
But pricing is only half the equation. While fee adjustments help balance the books and signal to the public that medical resources are scarce, they do not solve the fundamental problem: patients flood emergency rooms because they often have nowhere else to go, especially after dark. If we simply raise prices without providing viable alternatives, we risk penalising the vulnerable. To make this reform work for the people, not just the treasury, Hong Kong must simultaneously strengthen primary care, specifically evening and night services.
Hong Kong’s high-subsidy healthcare model is a double-edged sword. It has led to a doubling in government spending over the past decade, driven by demographic shifts and chronic conditions. With nearly 60 per cent of the roughly 2 million annual A&E visits involving semi-urgent or non-urgent cases, the system’s efficiency has been under scrutiny.