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Wodnesday, February 24, 1971
COST OF MEDICAL SERVICES
Noed To Consider More "Realistic" Hospital Charges
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Sir John Cowperthwaite, Financial Secretary, said today the cost
of medical services was also "growing rapidly," though not so rapidly at
present as that of education because no large new scheres were coming to
fruition.
matured.
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But costs were going to rise even more rapidly as present projects
He told the Logislative Council it scened to hin, looking at future
developments and their cost, that Hong Kong was reaching the point where the
Colony could "no longer provide a virtually free non-contributory public
health service, at high standards, on the basis of a low-tax structure."
At present, for example, the daily rate charged in government
hospitals did not even cover the cost of the raw foodstuffs. With Hong Kong's
growing affluenco, it "must consider urgently a more realistic charging
system for hospitals, government as well as subsidised."
"We already have a professional body of medical social welfaro
workers with the expertise and authority to ensure that no hardship arises.
The alternative is going to be higher direct taxes," Sir John said.
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