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Sammy Heung

Emily Hung

Hong Kong authorities have been assessing whether to increase fees to help combat the abuse of services in a public healthcare system that has been plagued by long waiting times and staff shortages.
Residents currently enjoy a high subsidy rate provided by the government and pay no more than about HK$200 (US$26) per day or attendance for various public healthcare services.
The Post breaks down the costs of medical services and why the government wants to adjust them.
1. What are the fees?
Accident and emergency (A&E) units charge HK$180 per visit.
Those seeing a doctor at general outpatient clinics only need to pay a HK$50 fee, which includes the cost of drugs.
Patients seeing specialists at clinics must pay HK$135 for a first attendance, which drops to just HK$80 for each follow-up consultation. Medications are charged separately, at a cost of HK$15 for a 16-week supply.
A spot in an acute general bed requires a HK$75 admission fee, with an additional HK$120 for each day in hospital.
Day procedures and treatment at ambulatory facilities cost HK$195 per visit.
But some drugs with significant clinical benefits are deemed too expensive for the Hospital Authority to provide as part of its standard services. Patients who have financial difficulties could receive subsidies for such drugs through the Samaritan Fund and the Community Care Fund Medical Assistance Programme.
Heavily subsidised services are also only available to “eligible persons”. This refers to Hong Kong identity card holders, children who are Hong Kong residents and under the age of 11, as well as other persons approved by the chief executive of the Hospital Authority.
Anyone outside this category must pay HK$1,230 for visits to A&E units, HK$445 for general outpatient clinics and HK$1,190 for specialist clinics.

2. Why are the prices so low?
The government currently covers almost 98 per cent of the cost of public healthcare services. Patients only need to bear 2 per cent under a uniform below-cost pricing system, regardless of one’s condition and income level.
The charges are reviewed every two years, but have been frozen since 2017.
The last adjustment only saw the A&E charge increased from HK$100 to HK$180, and the charge at general outpatient clinics was raised from HK$45 to HK$50, and drugs at specialist clinics raised from HK$10 to HK$15 for a 16-week supply.
For the most underprivileged ones, they could even have their medical fees waived under a specific mechanism.
The government said it has always been its fundamental philosophy that “no one will be denied medical care due to lack of means”.
3. How do prices compare with overseas?
Hong Kong’s healthcare subsidy rate is among the highest in developed economies, although financing models differ.
According to Hong Kong’s Legislative Council, Singapore adopts an income and asset test to determine subsidy rates.
Subsidies can range from 30 to 80 per cent for acute inpatient services at public hospitals, rehabilitative care at community hospitals or specialist outpatient clinic care.
Singapore’s citizens and permanent residents must pay for the MediShield Life health insurance scheme, which is intended to protect them against large medical bills and some costly outpatient treatments.
There is also a national mandatory medical saving scheme called MediSave, which helps people put aside part of their income to pay for hospitalisation, day surgery services and certain outpatient expenses either for themselves or their dependants.
In the United Kingdom, the National Health Service provides free A&E services, excluding emergency treatment if admitted to hospital, to all users.
The principal mode of healthcare financing in the UK is government expenditure, which represented 81.9 per cent of the overall healthcare spending in 2023.

4. Why does the government want to adjust the fees?
Officials earlier said the coming hospital fee review was part of the regular check by authorities conducted every two years.
Secretary for Health Lo Chung-mau earlier said the government wanted to help patients in need who were lower down on the economic ladder, and those suffering from acute conditions or having complicated illnesses, so that they would not “go poor because of illnesses”.
He also said changes to fees could help cut down on the abuse of emergency rooms.
Despite a HK$87.2 billion deficit for the current financial year, the government has not scaled back healthcare expenses. Authorities have budgeted HK$100.2 billion for the Hospital Authority for the 2025-26 financial year, a 3 per cent increase from the current amount.
A source told the Post that any savings from fee adjustments would not be put towards reducing the deficit, but instead would be used to support those with serious diseases.
5. Will changes affect the disadvantaged?
A source told the Post that people who were exempt from public healthcare charges would not be affected.
Residents aged 75 or above and collecting an old age living allowance, as well as those receiving welfare handouts such as comprehensive social security assistance, currently do not need to pay for services in the public healthcare system.
People facing financial difficulties can also apply for the fee waiver if their monthly household income does not exceed 75 per cent of the median level, while the value of their assets must be within a certain limit.
Additional reporting by Elizabeth Cheung


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Subsidy rate is among highest in developed economies, as government looks at possible fee changes to crack down on abuse


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Explainer | Are Hongkongers paying too little for healthcare? Breaking down the costs

Subsidy rate is among highest in developed economies, as government looks at possible fee changes to crack down on abuse

1. What are the fees?