Go to main content
 
Health Bureau and Hospital Authority jointly organise second District Council briefing on fees and charges reform for public healthcare (with photos)
******************************************************************************************
     The Health Bureau (HHB), together with the Hospital Authority (HA), organised the second District Council (DC) briefing on the fees and charges reform for public healthcare today (May 9) to explain the details and objectives of the fees and charges reform for public healthcare, particularly the measures and implementation arrangements for enhancing healthcare protection, to over 200 DC members and local community members attending the event.

     The Secretary for Health, Professor Lo Chung-mau, said, "The Government is implementing the healthcare system reform in a holistic manner, of which fees and charges reform for public healthcare is an integral part. Apart from restructuring the subsidisation levels for various services in a precise manner, the fees and charges reform for public healthcare also emphasises enhancing healthcare protection. The objective is to enhance protection for 'poor, acute, serious, critical' patients, enabling public healthcare to serve as a larger, more stable, thicker and denser safety net for all. Through this briefing, we hope to explain details of the reform to DC members, and leverage the role of DC as a bridge to assist members of the public to get a better grasp of the substance and meaning of the fees and charges reform, with a view to helping members of the public understand that the reform can provide them with more comprehensive healthcare protection."
 
     The Deputising Chief Executive of the HA, Dr Simon Tang, introduced in detail to the audience the three key measures for strengthening healthcare protection, namely, enhancing the medical fee waiver mechanism, introducing an annual cap of $10,000 for public healthcare fees and charges, and optimising the application and subsidisation of innovative drugs and medical devices. He said, "The HA will continue to refine the implementation of the measures, including streamlining the application procedures for the medical fee waiver and safety net, to ensure the smooth implementation of the reform."
 
     Since the announcement of the fees and charges reform for public healthcare, the HHB and the HA have been explaining the matter to the Legislative Council, members of the public and stakeholders of various sectors, with a view to helping members of the public get a better grasp of the objectives and specific details of the reform. This is the second DC briefing jointly organised by the HHB and the HA after the one held on April 29.

     The HHB and the HA have also produced various information packs, short videos, promotional materials and more to help the public understand the new healthcare protection measures. In particular, the HA website and the HA mobile application "HA Go" have launched a means test calculator, where users only need to input their information, such as household income and assets, for a preliminary assessment of their eligibility for the enhanced medical fee waiver and the Samaritan Fund.
 
     The new fees and charges for public healthcare will take effect on January 1 next year. The HHB and the HA will continue to actively explain the details to members of the public.
 
Ends/Friday, May 9, 2025
Issued at HKT 17:55
NNNN
Archives   Yesterday's Press Releases  
Back to Index Page
Back to top
Today's Press Releases  

Photo

The Secretary for Health, Professor Lo Chung-mau (centre); the Deputising Chief Executive of the Hospital Authority (HA), Dr Simon Tang (left); and the Chief Manager (Allied Health) of the HA, Ms Priscilla Poon (right), attend the second District Council (DC) briefing on the fees and charges reform for public healthcare to explain the details and objectives of the reform to over 200 DC members and local community members today (May 9).
The Secretary for Health, Professor Lo Chung-mau (centre); the Deputising Chief Executive of the Hospital Authority (HA), Dr Simon Tang (left); and the Chief Manager (Allied Health) of the HA, Ms Priscilla Poon (right), attend the second District Council (DC) briefing on the fees and charges reform for public healthcare to explain the details and objectives of the reform to over 200 DC members and local community members today (May 9).
The Health Bureau, together with the Hospital Authority, organised the second District Council (DC) briefing on the fees and charges reform for public healthcare today (May 9) to explain the details and objectives of the reform, particularly the measures and implementation arrangements for enhancing healthcare protection, to over 200 DC members and local community members.
The Secretary for Health, Professor Lo Chung-mau (first left), attends the second District Council briefing on the fees and charges reform for public healthcare today (May 9) to explain details of the reform to attendees.
The Secretary for Health, Professor Lo Chung-mau, and the Under Secretary for Health, Dr Libby Lee, attended the second District Council briefing on the fees and charges reform for public healthcare today (May 9). Photo shows Professor Lo (back row, fourth left), Dr Lee (back row, fourth right) and other attendees of the briefing.
The Secretary for Health, Professor Lo Chung-mau, and the Under Secretary for Health, Dr Libby Lee, attended the second District Council briefing on the fees and charges reform for public healthcare today (May 9). Photo shows Professor Lo (back row, fifth right), Dr Lee (back row, fourth right) and other attendees of the briefing.