**********************************************
Following is a question by the Hon Cheung Kwok-che and a reply by the Secretary for Food and Health, Dr York Chow, in the Legislative Council today (December 16):
Question:
Since the implementation of the Elderly Health Care Voucher Pilot Scheme early this year, elderly groups have incessantly relayed to me that the amount of subsidy of the health care voucher is inadequate and the Scheme lacks publicity. Moreover, it is difficult for the eligible elderly to locate healthcare providers participating in the Scheme. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:
(a) of the number of elderly persons who have used health care vouchers to date, as well as the average amount of subsidy they used each time;
(b) of the current number of private medical practitioners (including Chinese medicine practitioners, dentists and chiropractors) participating in this Scheme, as well as their respective percentages in the total number of private medical practitioners in Hong Kong of the number of private medical practitioners who have withdrawn from this Scheme to date; and
(c) when it will review the aforesaid Scheme, as well as the methodology and procedure of the review?
Reply:
President,
The Government launched the three-year Elderly Health Care Voucher Pilot Scheme (the Scheme) on January 1, 2009 to provide five health care vouchers of $50 each annually to elders aged 70 or above to partially subsidise their use of private primary care services and to provide additional choices for them on top of the existing public primary care services. Healthcare professionals who are eligible to participate in the Scheme include Western medical practitioners, Chinese medicine practitioners, dentists, chiropractors, nurses, physiotherapists, occupational therapists, radiographers and medical laboratory technologists.
The Scheme tries out the concept of "money follow the patient" and pilots a new model for future subsidisation of primary care services. We hope that through the use of healthcare vouchers, elders will be encouraged to choose private healthcare service providers in their nearby communities for primary care services which best suit their needs and establish a continuous-care relationship with them. We also hope that this pilot scheme will enhance our understanding of the needs and use of healthcare services of the elders, thereby enabling the Administration to devise appropriate delivery model for healthcare services.
The Scheme has been designed with the convenience of the elders in mind. Through an electronic system, healthcare service providers will create accounts for elders who use vouchers for the first time, deduct vouchers directly from their accounts after they have received the healthcare services, and provide them with a printout showing the number of unused vouchers. Under this arrangement, elders need not pre-register, pre-collect healthcare vouchers, nor carry the vouchers. They only need to show their Hong Kong Identity Cards or Certificates of Exemption at clinics displaying the Scheme logo and use their vouchers immediately.
Since the launch of the Scheme, we have maintained close communication with the healthcare sector to gather their feedback for improving the operation. We have already implemented a series of system enhancement measures and streamlined the procedures for the convenience of both the healthcare service providers and elders. The Administration will continue to closely monitor the implementation of the Scheme and will consider further streamlining measures as appropriate.
Prior to launching the Scheme, we have publicised the Scheme through District Councillors, non-government organisations, elderly homes and relevant Government departments. In addition to brochures and posters, we will continue to promote the Scheme through the television and radio, and will continue to liaise with welfare organisations providing elderly services on how to further enhance the promotion of the Scheme to the elders.
I now proceed to reply each part of the question -
(a) As at December 5, 2009, over 260,000 elders have opened voucher accounts (constituting over 40% of elders eligible for the Scheme). The Department of Health has processed over 321,000 voucher claims. Over 70% of the elders used one to two vouchers per visit.
(b) As at December 5, 2009, over 2,500 healthcare service providers have enrolled in the Scheme (including over 1,700 who have provided services to elders using vouchers) with over 3,100 practices located in all districts. The number of practices in each district ranges from about 30 to 500. Since the launch of the Scheme up to December 5, 2009, 113 healthcare service providers have withdrawn their enrollment from the Scheme, involving 120 practices. Among them, 37 withdrew due to a change in the clinics in which they work. During the same period, over 700 applications (involving over 1,000 practices) for enrollment were received. The number of enrolled healthcare service providers continues to increase.
(c) The Scheme has been implemented for about one year. The Administration will conduct an interim review in 2010 as pledged, and also a full review after the three-year pilot period has ended. The reviews will cover the effectiveness of the Scheme, the appropriateness of its scope, subsidy amount, etc. Besides conducting statistical analysis and reviewing of operational details, we will also conduct surveys to gather feedback from both the elders and healthcare service providers in the reviews.
Ends/Wednesday, December 16, 2009
Issued at HKT 15:18
NNNN
