TUESDAY, JULY 20, 1993
MRS WONG WAS REASSURING A GROUP OF HYPERTENSION PATIENTS DURING HER VISIT TO THE TSING YI TOWN CLINIC THIS (TUESDAY) AFTERNOON.
NOTING THAT THE PATIENTS WERE WORRIED ABOUT POSSIBLE FEE INCREASES TO BE BROUGHT ABOUT BY THE CONSULTATION DOCUMENT, MRS WONG STRESSED: "I FULLY UNDERSTAND THAT INITIAL RESPONSE SUGGESTS THAT THERE IS RESISTANCE TO CHANGE.
"THIS
INCREASES.
IS BASED ON MISCONCEPTION THAT THERE WOULD BE VAST FRE
"HENCE, MY COLLEAGUES AND I COME TO TALK TO YOU PERSONALLY AND TO REASSURE YOU THAT THE GOVERNMENT IS NOT ONLY COMMITTED TO QUALITY HEALTH CARE BUT ALSO TO STRENGTHEN THE SAFETY NET.
SHE SAID IT REMAINED THE GOVERNMENT'S POLICY THAT ACCESS TO AFFORDABLE HEALTH CARE WAS A PUBLIC RIGHT.
DOCUMENT
THOSE WHO HAD
MRS WONG TOLD THE PATIENTS THAT THE CONSULTATION OFFERED AN APPROACH TO EXEMPT, FULLY OR PARTIALLY, SPECIAL NEEDS, FROM PAYING FEES.
IN THIS RESPECT, SHE SAID, THE POOR, THE OLD, LONG-STAY PATIENTS AND DISABLED PEOPLE SHOULD COME UNDER THE NEW SCHEME IF THE PROPOSALS IN THE CONSULTATION DOCUMENT WERE ACCEPTED.
ASKED ΤΟ COMMENT ON THE PROPOSED PEGGING OF MEDICAL FEES то COSTS, THE SECRETARY SAID THE ENCONSISTENCIES AND ANOMALIES IN THE EXISTING FEE STRUCTURE NEEDED TO BE RATIONALISED.
THUS, A NUMBER OF DIFFERENT WAYS OF CHARGING AND GIVING WAIVERS HAD BEEN IDENTIFIED.
FOR EXAMPLE, IF THE CONCEPT OF USING OPERATING COST AS A MEANS OF CALCULATION WAS ACCEPTED AND UNDER THE SCENARIO OF, SAY, A 95 PER CENT SUBSIDY AND A 50 PER CENT WAIVER FOR SELECTED GROUPS, THE FEES CHARGED COULD BE $105 FOR ACUTE/GENERAL HOSPITALS, WHILE THE EXEMPTED FEE LEVEL WOULD BE $52.50.
:
FOR INFIRMARIES FEES WOULD BE $45.50, WHILE THE EXEMPTED FEE LEVEL WOULD BE $23.
++
1N THE CASE OF INFIRMARIES, IF THIS FORMULA WAS ACCEPTED, THOSE IN NEED WOULD PAY MUCH LESS THAN AT PRESENT, MRS WONG NOTED.
SHE CALLED ON THE PUBLIC TO SPEND SOME TIME READING THE DOCUMENT THEMSELVES AND FORWARD THEIR VIEWS TO THE HEALTH AND WELFARE BRANCH.
MRS WONG WAS ACCOMPANIED ON THE TOUR BY THE ACTING DIRECTOR HEALTH, DR MARGARET CHAN.
OF
TSING YI TOWN CLINIC IS ONE OF THE 24 GOVERNMENT CLINICS WHICH LAUNCHED A PILOT SCHEME ON SUPPORT GROUP MEETINGS FOR DIABETES MELLITUS AND HYPERTENSION PATIENTS.
HAVE
/THE AIM