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The following is issued on behalf of the Hospital Authority:
The Hospital Authority (HA) will start to implement the refund policy from next Monday (October 29) for the obstetric package charges paid by Non-Eligible Persons (NEPs) fulfilling certain criteria, following the gazette of the refund circumstances today (October 26).
A spokesman for HA stressed the primary objective of the no-refund policy in the obstetric package charges, which were introduced in February this year, is to provide a disincentive for non-local mothers to use the public obstetric services, hence ensuring priority booking for local expectant mothers in public hospitals.
"Following a half-year review confirming that adequate capacity and priority for local mothers have been secured in public obstetric services, the HA Board discussed and endorsed last month that we could now respond to requests from non-local mothers asking for exceptional consideration of refund on special grounds.
"These special circumstances can be grouped into two categories, namely the occurrence of miscarriage, termination of pregnancy or still birth; and on a change from NEP to Eligible Persons (EP) status during the period between payment of the package fee and delivery."
For those NEPs who have paid $39,000 for the obstetric package charges in public hospitals, partial refund of $20,000 will be made for justified cases fulfilling the criteria in the first category after deducting those charges for the HA hospital services they have received for the concerned pregnancy.
Under the second category, pregnant women with a change of status from NEP to EP during the period between payment of the package fee and delivery will be fully refunded for the obstetric package charges, after deducting those charges for the HA hospital services they have received for the concerned pregnancy.
According to the spokesman, the refund arrangement under these circumstances will not be an entitlement but subject to application and approval. Refund for cases paid between February 1 and October 28, 2007 will be considered.
"The application will need to be submitted to the respective hospital with appropriate supporting documents, including certificate by a medical practitioner or medical institution for cases of miscarriage, termination of pregnancy or still births; the identity document of EP in the case of changing status from NEP to EP; and other relevant documents.
"Notices regarding the application arrangement and application forms are available in all public hospitals with obstetric services," the spokesman added.
Ends/Friday, October 26, 2007
Issued at HKT 19:01
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