10
WEDNESDAY, JULY 14, 1993
FOR EXAMPLE, AN ELDERLY PATIENT AT PRESENT HAS TO PAY $43 A DAY PLUS VARIOUS INPATIENT CHARGES STILL IMPOSED IN SOME HOSPITALS UNDER THE HOSPITAL AUTHORITY. THERE IS NO AUTOMATIC WAIVER SYSTEM IN PLACE.
ALSO, PUBLIC HOSPITALS OFFER LITTLE CHOICE OF ACCOMMODATION
CONSUMERS.
TO
"AFTER RATIONALISATION, THE PATIENT WILL KNOW WITH CERTAINTY, AND IN ADVANCE, HIS ENTITLEMENT, THAT IS TO SAY WHAT WILL BE CHARGED AND WHAT WILL BE WAIVED.
AFFORDABLE PRICE,
"AND PATIENTS WILL HAVE MORE CHOICE AT AN PARTICULARLY WITH REGARD TO HOSPITAL ACCOMMODATION AND ENVIRONMENT.
GIVEN THE IMPERFECTIONS OF THE EXISTING SYSTEM, MRS WONG SAID THE CONSULTATION DOCUMENT OFFERED A NUMBER OF OPTIONS ON POSSIBLE APPROACHES TO GIVE PEOPLE A SAFETY NET WITH CERTAINTY, MORE CHOICE AT AFFORDABLE PRICES, WHILST MAINTAINING THE GOVERNMENT'S COMMITMENT SUBSIDISING HEALTH CARE SERVICES AND POISING OURSELVES TO MEDICAL AND DEMOGRAPHIC CHALLENGES OF TOMORROW.
IN
MEET
THE
CHAPTER 4 OF THE DOCUMENT OUTLINES THE FOLLOWING FIVE
POSSIBLE
OPTIONS AS A WAY FORWARD:
OPTION A: PERCENTAGE SUBSIDY APPROACH
OPTION B: TARGET GROUP APPROACH
OPTION C: CO-ORDINATED VOLUNTARY INSURANCE APPROACH
OPTION D: COMPULSORY COMPREHENSIVE INSURANCE APPROACH
OPTION E: PRIORITISATION OF TREATMENT APPROACH
C
OPTIONS A AND B ARE WAYS OF FEE CHARGING AND WAIVER; OPTIONS AND D ARE WAYS OF FUNDING HEALTH SERVICES FOR THE COMMUNITY; AND OPTION E IS A WAY OF ALLOCATING RESOURCES.
OF THE FIVE APPROACHES OFFERED FOR CONSULTATION, THE GOVERNMENT FAVOURS A COMBINATION OF APPROACHES.
THE COMBINATION WILL HAVE THE ADVANTAGE OF CONTINUITY IN MAINTAINING HEAVILY-SUBSIDISED PUBLIC HOSPITAL SERVICES FOR GENERAL WARD PATIENTS WHILST PROVIDING MORE CHOICE THROUGH THE INTRODUCTION OF SEMI-PRIVATE ROOMS.
MORE IMPORTANTLY, FOR THE FIRST TIME IN HONG KONG, THERE WILL BE A CLEAR WAIVER FOR TARGETED VULNERABLE GROUPS.
THE ADMINISTRATION ALSO FAVOURS THE INTRODUCTION OF A CO- ORDINATED VOLUNTARY INSURANCE SCHEME AS A FRAMEWORK TO ALLOW CONSUMERS MORE CHOICE AT AFFORDABLE PRICES.
COUPLED WITH THE GOVERNMENT'S COMMITMENT TO INCREASE RECURRENT SPENDING ON HEALTH CARE BY 22 PER CENT IN REAL TERMS BY 1997, THE COMBINATION OF OPTIONS WILL PUT HONG KONG'S HEALTH CARE SYSTEM SOUND FOOTING.
ON A
/MRS WONG
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