Hong Kong Plans Significant Public Hospital Fee Increases

Hong Kong's government has announced significant increases in public hospital fees as part of an extensive healthcare reform aimed at boosting the sustainability of its public healthcare system. Scheduled to begin in 2026, these changes come with a comprehensive plan to restructure the current subsidy framework, which many officials deem unsustainable.

During a press conference on March 25, 2025, Secretary for Health Lo Chung-mau unveiled the new measures, which will see fee adjustments across various services, most notably in Accident and Emergency (A&E) departments. "The government currently covers 97.6 percent of public healthcare expenses," Lo stated, questioning the long-term viability of such a model. "This leads us to ask whether our public healthcare system is sustainable, both in terms of finance and quality of services."

Under the proposed reforms, non-critical patients seeking treatment at A&E will now face fees of HK$400 per visit, a considerable increase from the current HK$180 fee that has remained unchanged since 2017. Patients who are classified as 'urgent,' 'semi-urgent,' or 'non-urgent' will be required to pay this higher amount, while those in 'critical' conditions will still be treated free of charge.

With approximately 2 million visits to A&E departments in public hospitals reported in 2023, over 95 percent of these cases fell into the categories of urgent, semi-urgent, or non-urgent. Lo emphasized that the aim of the revised fee structure is to restore the core functions of A&E services, ensuring they are reserved for those presenting with severe medical emergencies.

In addition to A&E fee increases, the cost of inpatient care will also see a rise. Charges per day for inpatient beds will range from HK$200 to HK$300, up from the current HK$120. Furthermore, the price for attending general outpatient clinics will triple from HK$50 to HK$150, while visits to specialist outpatient clinics will nearly double, increasing from HK$135 to HK$250 per visit.

Medication costs at specialist outpatient clinics are set to rise from HK$15 per drug for a 16-week prescription to HK$20 for just four weeks. Meanwhile, patients seeking medicine at general outpatient clinics will now have to pay HK$5 per drug for a four-week period, effectively removing the previous free benefit.

Medical tests and non-urgent scans, which include critical procedures such as CT and MRI scans, will incur charges between HK$50 and HK$500. Presently, these services are fully covered by the government, hence the shift marks a significant change in costs for patients requiring these diagnostics.

In response to concerns about the financial drain on low-income residents, the government plans to relax the criteria for waiving medical charges. This move is projected to benefit an additional 1.1 million residents who will now be eligible to receive medical services at no cost. At present, individuals on Comprehensive Social Security Assistance and similar schemes are exempt from charges, totaling around 300,000 people. Patients who spend more than HK$10,000 annually on healthcare will also receive government coverage for fees exceeding that amount, aiding approximately 70,000 individuals in need of ongoing medical treatment.

Following the announcement, Tony Ko, the chief executive of the Hospital Authority, voiced his agreement with the reforms, asserting, "A&E departments are for the most serious and urgent cases; it is categorically different from [clinics] treating cold and flu." Ko’s statement underlined the necessity of conserving A&E resources for genuine emergencies.

The overarching objective of these reforms is not only to address the financial viability of Hong Kong’s public healthcare system but also to streamline the allocation of medical resources. The government aims to prioritize treatment for those most in need while reducing misuse of emergency services and other healthcare facilities.

The planned changes have received mixed reactions from the public. Some residents are concerned about the burden of higher medical expenses on families already struggling financially. Others recognize the long-term necessity of reforming a healthcare system that has been significantly challenged in recent years.

As these reforms move toward implementation, the government will need to balance the immediate impact on patients with the broader goal of ensuring a sustainable healthcare system for Hong Kong's future. The importance of equipping public health services to withstand increasing demand cannot be overstated, and the results of these changes will be closely monitored in the coming years.

Overall, the proposed fee increases and subsidy cuts underpin a significant transformation within the healthcare landscape of Hong Kong, aiming to foster both financial sustainability and improved healthcare quality. As the city gears up for these transformations, residents can expect a new era of public health service in Hong Kong.