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     Position Statement    Response to the consultation on voluntary Health Protection Scheme 

To Dr. York Chow, GBS, JP

Secretary for Food and Health

Food and Health Bureau

19/F MurrayBuilding

Garden Road
Central, Hong Kong
 mychoice@fhb.gov.hk

3 January 2011

 

Dear Dr. Chow

 

Response to the consultation on voluntary Health Protection Scheme

 

The Hong Kong Psychogeriatric Association is a professional body expertised in the health of the elderly people. Our 300 members come from a diversity of disciplines specialized in elderly care including doctors, nurses and allied health professionals.

 

Based on our professional views, our Association cannot accept the proposed Health Protection Scheme (HPS) for its incomprehensive coverage, which biases against the elderly population who have the biggest health needs.

 

The proposed HPS biases against the elderly population

 

1.          Comorbidities are common among the elderly people. They have complex health needs and they not only need hospitalizations but also specialist out-patient and rehabilitation services. However, the proposed HPS only covers hospital admissions and ambulatory procedures in the core requirements. As a result, the majority of the health needs of the elderly people were left out from the proposal.

2.          Besides, the proposed HPS have not set with any cap on the premium for the elderly people aged 65 years or above. Given the local elderly people are poor, the proposed HPS, without cap on the premium, will be entirely unaffordable to most of the elderly people.

 

The suggestions from the Hong Kong Psychogeriatric Association

 

1.          The HPS should, apart from hospitalization, also cover at least specialist out-patient and rehabilitation services. For those extra services covered, our Association propose, to prevent possible abuse, that the patient will pay full for the first few (for instance, five) sessions.

2.          The premium for the elderly people aged 65 years or above should be capped, for instance to five times of the amount paid by the younger counterpart. This would allow the elderly to participate in the HPS at an affordable cost.

3.          Part of the 50 billion dollar fiscal reserve should be used to support the elderly people in joining the HPS.

4.          The diagnostic-related group formulation should involve an extensive consultation of the professionals. Our Association is very willing to contribute to this discussion.

 

Should you have any further questions, please feel free to contact the undersigned.

 

Yours truly, 

 
 

 

Dr. Li Siu-wah, M.H.

MBBS, FRCPsych, FHKCPsych, FHKAM (Psychiatry)

President

Hong Kong Psychogeriatric Association