Source: Hong Kong Information Services
The Health Bureau announced today the extension of the Pilot Scheme for Supporting Patients of the Hospital Authority in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area for one year until March 31, 2027, with a view to enabling eligible patients of the Hospital Authority (HA) to choose to receive subsidised consultation services at the designated collaborating healthcare institution in the Greater Bay Area.
Under the extended pilot scheme, if an eligible HA patient, ie a patient with scheduled follow-up appointments at designated Specialist Out-patient Clinics or Family Medicine Clinics of the HA, incurs a medical fee of RMB100 or above for each consultation received at the designated out-patient clinic of the University of Hong Kong-Shenzhen Hospital (HKU-SZH), the patient will be required to co-pay RMB100, while the remaining medical fee will be subsidised by the pilot scheme, subject to a cap of RMB2,000 per year. The validity period of the subsidy is from tomorrow to March 31 next year.
The scope of subsidised consultation services under the scheme will continue to cover out-patient services provided by the HA. However, episodic illnesses, inpatient or day inpatient, as well as accident and emergency services are not included under the scope of subsidised consultation services. The patients are required to attend at the service departments of the HKU-SZH that correspond with the HA’s out-patient service categories for which they have medical follow-up to receive subsidised consultation services.
Existing patients of the pilot scheme who wish to continue participating may make appointments through the existing channels whereby the HKU-SZH will make appointments that correspond with the HA’s out-patient service categories for which they have follow-up appointments.
Patients who wish to cease participation and return to Hong Kong for follow-up consultations at the HA’s out-patient clinics may approach the HKU-SZH and the hospital will make a referral for them according to their clinical needs.
As for eligible HA patients who have not participated in the pilot scheme before, or those who have joined the scheme but need to have their personal information updated, they may submit their application to the HKU-SZH starting tomorrow.
Launched on May 10, 2023, the pilot scheme aims to provide an additional service option for eligible HA patients, and is currently applicable to the HKU-SZH. As of end-February this year, more than 6,000 eligible patients have participated in the scheme, with more than 60% being citizens aged 65 or above.
For enquiries, call the HA at 2300 7070 or the HKU-SZH at (+86) 0755 8691 3101.