Hong Kong mulls applying extra charges for CT, MRI scans for outpatient service at public hospitals
Hong Kong Free Press
Hong Kong is considering charging patients separately for CT and MRI scans at public hospitals, as part of a reform that, according to authorities, will improve the use of medical resources.
Secretary for Health Lo Chung-mau told reporters outside the Legislative Council chamber on Friday that demand for “more complicated imaging checks” such as CT and MRI scans at public hospitals had been rising, causing long wait times.
Currently, patients do not need to pay extra for imaging scans, which are included in standard visitation fees.
The health secretary’s comments came after the South China Morning Post (SCMP) reported on Friday that authorities were making “significant” reforms to the city’s healthcare subsidy model. As part of the shake-up, patients with non-urgent medical needs could soon be paying separate charges for “lab tests, scans and other specific services,” the SCMP reported.
Asked by a journalist about the report on Friday, Lo said the government currently pays “100 per cent” of the fees for imaging scans. Following the changes, patients would pay part of the fees.
The additional payment would apply only for outpatient care, not for patients who come through accident and emergency departments or stay in hospitals, he said, adding that the extra income that the government makes would be put back into public healthcare services.
Regarding outpatient services in general, Lo said people should only “seek specialist medical care if necessary.”
“[They] should not seek a specialist to treat a minor illness,” he said in Cantonese.
Lo also said there was “room for improvement” in the pricing for medication at public medical facilities, and that he hoped that a reform could “reduce wastage.”
Last year, the Hospital Authority said it would propose raising fees for accident and emergency services at public hospitals to deter people from “abusing” the system, such as seeking help for non-urgent issues without considering other options first.
The current fee has remained unchanged at HK$180 since 2017.
The government is expected to announce changes in the payment models in the coming weeks, according to the SCMP.
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