XN000022-1986-11-04 — Page 19

TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 4, 1986

18.

MEDICAL, MAXICAB CONCESSIONS FOR ELDERLY

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SENIOR CITIZENS OF EASTERN DISTRICT WILL BENEFIT FROM CONCESSIONS IN BOTH MEDICAL EXPENSES AND MAXICAB FARES BY JOINING TWO SCHEMES FOR THE ELDERLY LAUNCHED BY THE EASTERN DISTRICT BOARD THIS MONTH.

ANNOUNCING DETAILS OF THE TWO SCHEMES TODAY (TUESDAY), THE CHAIRMAN OF THE EASTERN DISTRICT MEDICAL SERVICE WORK ING GROUP. MR SHUM CHI-KIN, SAID THAT WHEN THE MEDICAL SERVICE SCHEME WAS FIRST INTRODUCED IN THE DISTRICT IN 1983, APPLICANTS HAD TO OBTAIN INTRODUCTORY LETTERS EACH TIME THEY CONSULTED A DOCTOR.

IN ORDER TO SIMPLIFY THE PROCEDURE, APPLICANTS UNDER THE NEW SCHEME WOULD BE ISSUED WITH REUSABLE +MEDICAL CARDS+ FOR THEM TO SEEK TREATMENT FROM DOCTORS WHO HAD JOINED THE SCHEME, MR SHUM SAID.

ALL EASTERN DISTRICT RESIDENTS AGED 60 AND OVER OR RECEIVING WELFARE ALLOWANCES FROM THE SOCIAL WELFARE DEPARTMENT WERE ELIGIBLE FOR JOINING THE SCHEME, HE ADDED,

MR SHUM SAID THE EASTERN DISTRICT BOARD HAD BEEN SUCCESSFUL IN GETTING 35 REGISTERED MEDICAL PRACTITIONERS IN THE DISTRICT TO PARTICIPATE.

MEANWHILE, AT THE DISTRICT BOARD'S REQUEST, MAXICAB OPERATORS PLYING ROUTES IN THE DISTRICT HAVE AGREED TO GIVE A FARE CONCESSION TO ELDERLY PEOPLE LIVING IN EASTERN. OPERATE ON A TRIAL BASIS FOR SIX MONTHS.

THE SCHEME WILL

AS AGREED WITH MAXICAB OPERATORS, SENIOR RESIDENTS AGED 60 OR OVER COULD ENJOY A CONCESSION OF 50 CENTS ON PRODUCTION OF A +PREFERENTIAL CARD+ ISSUED BY THE DISTRICT BOARD, MR SHUM SAID.

AT PRESENT, EIGHT MAXICAB ROUTES WERE INVOLVED IN THE SCHEME. A SPECIAL LABEL WOULD BE DISPLAYED ON THE MAXICABS FOR EASY

IDENT IF ICATION.

MR SHUM THANKED MEMBERS OF THE WORKING GROUP FOR THEIR EFFORTS IN PERSUADING MAXICAB OPERATORS TO JOIN THE SCHEME.

APPLICATION FORMS FOR BOTH SCHEMES ARE AVAILABLE AT THE EASTERN DISTRICT OFFICE, ITS SUB-OFFICES AND VARIOUS VOLUNTARY AGENCIES IN THE DISTRICT.

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