Editorial | As Hong Kong’s public hospital fees rise, balance must be the watchword

Patients are coming to terms with the steep rise in public hospital fees, which came into effect on New Year’s Day. For many, this includes an increase to HK$400 (US$51.39) from HK$180 for a visit to the accident and emergency department, a charge now waived for cases considered critical or an emergency and for means-tested patients who cannot afford to pay.

Thankfully, there was no last-minute rush to beat the fee increase on New Year’s Eve, though plans to cope with this have still helped to ease a potentially stressful transition for patients and staff. They included a promise to be flexible and make allowances for patients taken by surprise or stressed by the new fees, and the assigning of about 1,000 service ambassadors to help patients navigate the new system.

Even so, early experiences of the new pricing structure reflected confusion and frustration, as some patients said they were caught off guard, even as the authorities reported a smooth roll-out. There were people who seemed unaware they could have applied for a fee waiver. There is room for better communication with patients and bureaucrats can hopefully show some compassion. Special circumstances merit flexibility.

That said, the government has expanded the eligibility criteria for the public hospitals’ fee waiver scheme, with an estimated 1.4 million residents expected to benefit. It is also good that the health authorities have announced transitional arrangements for affected patients from January to March.

The reform is expected to generate an extra HK$3 billion in revenue that can support residents’ other medical needs, including covering the fees of patients who spend more than HK$10,000 a year on healthcare.