Sources say new fees for public hospital services will be rolled out in three phases starting as early as January next year.
The fee at the accident and emergency unit will be raised from the current HK$180 to no more than HK$400, with exemptions for patients who need urgent care or are critically ill.
It's expected that higher A&E charges will allocate more resources to treat the critically ill and reduce the number of non-urgent cases.
Officials hope the new fee system will be in place in five years, with reviews every two years.
Sources added that there will be a cap on inpatient and outpatient fees, likely set at HK$10,000 per person per year.
The overall funding rate for public healthcare will be maintained at 90 percent.
The reform aims to enhance patient protection, optimise the medical fee waiver mechanism to provide assistance to needy patients, and strengthen support for critical illness medications and equipment.
Sources also said the Samaritan Fund could be relaxing its application requirements so middle-class patients facing severe illness who cannot afford expensive treatment costs could receive assistance.
Health Secretary Lo Chung-mau is set to announce the details on Tuesday.
New public hospital fees to start next year: sources
2025-03-24 HKT 20:16
