Hong Kong optometrists hit out against proposed cap for health voucher scheme for the elderly, calling new policy ‘discriminatory’
- Government likely to announce HK$1,000 limit for those above 65 using vouchers on services like eye exams and glasses
- Median voucher amount spent at optometrists was highest among all professionals last year, at HK$1,951 per claim
A group of Hong Kong optometrists have hit out at the government over a proposed cap on health vouchers the elderly can use for private optical services, calling the new policy discriminatory.
Under a proposed change likely to be announced by the government, each eligible person over the age of 65 will be able to use at most HK$1,000 (US$127) worth of vouchers on optical services every two years, according to earlier media reports.
Under the existing scheme, launched in 2014, those eligible are given a HK$2,000 voucher annually to help pay for private health care. Any unspent voucher amount can be carried forward up to a limit of HK$5,000.
The voucher can be used for services provided by a range of professionals, from dentists to Chinese medicine practitioners, with no limit for any specific sector. But the Post understands that the government is likely to set a cap on optical services.
“This is a very serious discrimination towards optometrists,” said Dominic Chim Chun-pong, president of the Hong Kong Association of Private Practice Optometrists. “Why are only optometrists’ services targeted? Why do they not limit other professionals?”
Why are only optometrists’ services targeted? Why do they not limit other professionals?