XN000022-1983-03-24 — Page 15

THURSDAY, MARCH 24, 1983

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MORE FREQUENT REVIEW OF CHARGES NEEDED

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DR IP

AN UNOFFICIAL, DR THE HON HENRIETTA IP, TODAY URGED THE GOVERNMENT TO REVIEW ITS UNREALISTIC SCALE OF CHARGES IMPOSED FOR MEDICAL SERVICES+ AND TO GO OVER THE COSTING FOR THESE SERVICES MORE FREQUENTLY.

+1 AM IN NO WAY DETERRED BY TUESDAY'S LEAK AND YESTERDAY'S PRESS RELEASE TO THE EFFECT THAT NOMINAL INCREASES, WHICH ESCAPED THE FINANCIAL SECRETARY'S ATTENTION ONLY TWO WEEKS AGO, WILL COME INTO FORCE IN ONE WEEK'S TIME.

+MY ANXIETIES ARE NOT EASED BY AN EXTRA DOLLAR FOR A BANDAGE OR FIVE DOLLARS FOR THE PRICE OF A HOSPITAL BED.

+RATHER, I AM CONCERNED WITH THE EXTENT TO WHICH PRIVATE PATIENTS WITH PRIVATE RESOURCES ARE SUBSIDISED IN THEIR USE OF PUBLIC SERVICES BY FURTHER SUBSTANTIAL PUBLIC FUNDS.

+AND I AM EQUALLY CONCERNED AT AN APPARENT FAILURE TO UPDATE CHARGES EVEN WHEN RECOSTING EXERCISES SHOW THEM TO BE SERIOUSLY INCORRECT,+ DR IP SAID IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL.

SHE STRESSED THAT IT WAS TIME TO CONSIDER HOW THE MEDICAL AND HEALTH DEPARTMENT COULD PARTLY FUND ITSELF, NOT BY ECONOMISING AT THE EXPENSE OF THE POOR BUT BY REALISTICALLY CHARGING THOSE ABLE TO PAY.

SHE NOTED THAT THE GOVERNMENT EXPECTED TO COLLECT ONLY $55.4 MILLION IN FEES AND CHARGES FOR SERVICES PROVIDED BY THE DEPARTMENT DURING FISCAL 1983-84, A FIGURE THAT WOULD REPRESENT ONLY 3.1 PER CENT OF THE DEPARTMENT'S ESTIMATED EXPENDITURE, COMPARED WITH 6.3 PER CENT IN 1979.

+THESE POINTS PROMPTED ME TO MAKE AN ANALYSIS OF THE FEES AND CHARGES REVIEW SYSTEM OF THE MEDICAL AND HEALTH DEPARTMENT REVENUE REGISTER, BASED ON A COMPUTER PRINT-OUT DATED MARCH 15, 1983.

+ THE ANALYSIS BRINGS TO LIGHT THAT 80 PER CENT OF THE FEES AND CHARGES WERE LAST REVIEWED BEFORE 1974, 14 PER CENT BETWEEN 1975 AND 1979 AND ONLY SIX PER CENT IN THE 1980'S,+ DR IP POINTED OUT.

SHE ADDED THAT GIVEN THE ANNUAL INCREASES IN THE CONSUMER PRICE INDEX, THERE WAS LITTLE WONDER ABOUT THE DRAMATIC FALL IN THE REVENUE-TO-EXPENDITURE RATIO.

SHE SAID THAT UNDERCHARGED SERVICES WERE WELL PATRONISED BY PATIENTS REFERRED BY PRIVATE PRACTITIONERS BECAUSE THESE SERVICES WERE EITHER EXCELLENT OR PROVIDED EXCLUSIVELY IN HONG KONG.

+A COSTING EXERCISE IN ITSELF IS TIME CONSUMING AND CANNOT BE DONE MORE THAN ONCE EVERY FEW YEARS. HOWEVER, ALL MUST SURELY AGREE THAT THE MORE UP-TO-DATE IS OUR COSTING, THE LESS WILL GOVERNMENT LOSE OUT FINANCIALLY.

/+THIS IS