Press Releases
Government to launch pilot scheme for use of Elderly Health Care Voucher at University of Hong Kong - Shenzhen Hospital (with photos)
The Government today (October 5) announced the launching of a pilot scheme
at the University of Hong Kong - Shenzhen Hospital (HKU-SZ Hospital) to
enable eligible Hong Kong elderly persons to use the Elderly Health Care
Voucher (HCV) in the hospital starting from tomorrow for designated
out-patient services.
The Director of Health, Dr Constance Chan, signed a service agreement on the
pilot scheme with the Hospital Chief Executive of the HKU-SZ Hospital,
Professor Grace Tang, in the hospital this afternoon, witnessed by the Chief
Secretary for Administration, Mrs Carrie Lam; the Secretary for Food and
Health, Dr Ko Wing-man; the Deputy Mayor of Shenzhen, Ms Wu Yihuan; and the
head of the Shenzhen Public Hospital Management Center, Mr Wang Daping.
Speaking at the signing ceremony, Dr Ko said he hoped that the pilot scheme
can provide one more place for Hong Kong elderly people to use the HCV. He
said the Food and Health Bureau will closely monitor the operation of the
scheme, adding that the bureau will study and consider to further expand the
scope of the use of the HCV on the Mainland with reference to the experience
gained.
After the signing ceremony, Mrs Lam and Dr Ko, together with other Hong Kong
delegates, toured the hospital facilities to understand more about the
operation of the hospital.
Currently, Hong Kong residents aged 70 or above holding a valid Hong Kong
identity card (HKIC) or Certificate of Exemption (CoE) issued by the
Immigration Department are eligible to open an account to use the HCV to
settle the fees of primary care services provided by service providers
participating in the scheme. Elderly persons intending to use the HCV under
the pilot scheme should visit the HKU-SZ Hospital in person and show a valid
HKIC or CoE to use the HCV for out-patient services provided by designated
clinics/departments on the same day.
The HCV is issued and claimed through an electronic platform. The HKU-SZ
Hospital would make voucher claims for the elderly and the usage records in
their accounts would be updated immediately. Upon completion, printed
records of the voucher balance would be given to the elderly for retention.
The HCV can be used for designated out-patient services provided by the
HKU-SZ Hospital, including preventive care as well as curative and
rehabilitative services, but not in-patient and pre-paid healthcare services
or sole purchase of products, such as medicine and medical equipment.
Furthermore, the HCV cannot be redeemed for cash or transferred to another
person.
As the HCV is in Hong Kong dollars while fees for healthcare services
provided by the HKU-SZ Hospital are in Renminbi, the voucher amount to be
deducted from the elderly person's voucher account in Hong Kong dollars
under the pilot scheme would be calculated according to a monthly updated
voucher conversion factor set by the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region
Government. The HKU-SZ Hospital will display the voucher conversion factor
of the corresponding month at the shroff offices responsible for processing
voucher claims.
At present, the annual voucher amount is $2,000, with an accumulation limit
for unused vouchers set at $4,000.
The eligible elderly and their families may get more information from the
channels below:
* The website of the Elderly Health Care Voucher Scheme (www.hcv.gov.hk);
* The hotline of the Department of Health's Health Care Voucher Unit (852)
3582 4102;
* The website of the HKU-SZ Hospital (www.hku-szh.org/en/index.html);
or
* The appointment hotline of the HKU-SZ Hospital (86) 0755 8691 3399.
Ends/Monday, October 5, 2015
Issued at HKT 18:40
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