XN000022-1990-04-26 — Page 9

THURSDAY, APRIL 26, 1990

COUNCILLOR CALLS FOR POLICY REVIEW ON

MEDICAL AND HEALTH EXPENDITURES * * * * * *

CHI-HUNG, TODAY

LEGISLATIVE COUNCILLOR, DR THE HON LEONG (THURSDAY) CALLED ON THE GOVERNMENT то REVAMP THE PRESENT FUNDING MECHANISM IN HEALTH SERVICES AND REVIEW THE MEDICAL ECONOMICS FOR THE HONG KONG COMMUNITY.

SPEAKING IN THE BUDGET DEBATE, DR LEONG POINTED OUT THAT A PROBLEMATIC AREA IN THE ANNUAL BUDGET WAS THE MECHANISM BY WHICH THE RESOURCE ALLOCATION WAS DECIDED OR ESTIMATED, I.E. "BY STALE AND STEREOTYPED PROJECTIONS"

HE SAID THAT THE INCREASE IN MONEY TERMS FOR HEALTH CARR SERVICES IN THIS YEAR'S BUDGET WOULD ONLY BE SUFFICIENT TO KEEP HEADS ABOVE WATER, LEAVING NO EXTRA MONEY FOR ANY MEANINGFUL IMPROVEMENT.

IN THE GROSS DOMESTIC PRODUCT (GDP), THE PERCENTAGE SPENT ON THE PUBLIC MEDICAL SERVICES IN THE PAST 15 YEARS HAD REMAINED FAIRLY STAGNANT FLUCTUATING AROUND 1.2 PER CENT

WHILE THOSE OF INDUSTRIALISED COUNTRIES HAD, OVER THE PAST DECADE, SOARED BY FOUR TO FIVE FOLD, HE NOTED.

—

DR LEONG EXPLAINED THAT ALTHOUGH

THE PERCENTAGE OF INCREASE

WAS PEGGED TO THE GDP AND WAS THUS IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE ANNUAL INFLATION RATE AND THE RISING NEEDS OF SOCIETY, THIS INCREASE WAS FAR FROM ADEQUATE IN THE FIELD OF HEALTH CARE FOR MEDICAL COSTS IN AN EXPONENTIAL DIRECTION.

INCREASED

"THE MEAGRE PERCENTAGE LEAP FOLLOWING THE GDP ANNUAL HOP WILL NEVER BE ABLE TO CATCH UP WITH THE COSTS!" HE SAID.

HE POINTED OUT THAT BECAUSE THE PRIVATE AND PUBLIC SECTORS OF HONG KONG'S MEDICAL AND HEALTH SYSTEM WERE FUNDED IN TWO TOTALLY DIFFERENT WAYS, PATIENTS HERE HAD TO CHOOSE BETWEEN TWO EXTREME RATES OF PAYMENT $29 A DAY CHARGED BY A PUBLIC HOSPITAL OR AN EXTREMELY HIGH PRICE FOR STAYING IN A PRIVATE HOSPITAL.

-

TO

INTRODUCING

DR LEONG SUGGESTED THAT CONSIDERATION BE GIVEN NATIONAL HEALTH CARE PROGRAMMES IN HONG KONG SIMILAR то THOSE OF SOUTH KOREA, SINGAPORE AND TAIWAN.

HE ASKED IF HONG KONG SHOULD ALSO ENCOURAGE MORE PRIVATE INSURANCE SCHEMES, EXPLORE THE POSSIBILITY OF A COMBINED PRIVATE/PUBLIC INSURANCE POLICY, AND RECONSIDER THE PRACTICABILITY OF A MEDISAVE SCHEME BASED ON THE CONCEPT OF CENTRAL PROVIDENT FUND.

DR LEONG MAINTAINED THAT THE GOVERNMENT SHOULD ADOPT APPROACHES TO FUND HONG KONG'S HEALTH CARE SERVICES PROVIDED THEY NOT GO AGAINST THE LOW TAX SYSTEM.

NEW DID

THE SETTING UP OF THE HOSPITAL AUTHORITY (H.A.) WAS, AT BEST, ONLY PART OF THE ANSWER TO SIGNIFICANTLY IMPROVING SERVICES, HE SAID.

/BUT THE