Voices of the chronically ill: Pressure brought about by the increase in medical expenses I am a chronically ill patient who needs to go to the hospital for follow-up consultations every two to three months. Over the years, my medical expenses have ranged from $2,000 to $3,000 a year. However, I have recently heard that the Government will adjust the fees and charges, which may increase to $7,000 to $8,000 a year in the future. Although the authorities have set a ceiling of $10,000 per patient per annum for in-patient and out-patient charges, I always feel that this proposal is like punishing us, the sickly members of the public. A&E charges to be raised to $400 from 2026 New Measures for Healthcare Reform Hong Kong's healthcare protection measures are undergoing a series of important reforms, aiming at a fairer distribution of resources and alleviating the financial burden of critically ill patients. Starting from January 1, 2026, the Accident and Emergency (A&E) charge will be raised to $400, but critically ill and emergency patients will still be able to receive treatment free of charge. In addition, the annual fee will be capped at a maximum of $10,000 per person per year, with the excess to be borne by HA. The fees for general out-patient services and specialist out-patient services have also been adjusted, increasing to $150 and $250 respectively. As for drug expenses, the charge for standard drugs has been increased to $20 per item, with a maximum of four weeks' supply of drugs at any one time. Editorial: Public Healthcare Fee Reform Proposal Causes Controversy: Grassroots Under Pressure, Middle Class Worried About "Returning to Poverty" The recently announced public healthcare fee reform proposal will come into effect in January next year, with accident and emergency (A&E) service fees rising to $400, and many items of primary healthcare services going up across the board, while certain basic services will remain free of charge, but the public response to the proposal has been mixed. The Government has emphasized the necessity of the adjustment in an attempt to reduce the burden on the healthcare system, but this has further aggravated the financial pressure on the elderly in the primary care system and patients with chronic diseases. According to the Medical and Health Bureau (MHB), the reform aims to reduce the government's subsidization of the healthcare system to nearly 100%, with a target of compressing it to 90% in the future, and more fee adjustments are likely to follow. However, it is still doubtful whether the fee increase can really improve the waiting time at the A&E departments and the problem of resource allocation. Coupled with the increasing fees and charges of other public services, the grassroots are caught in a situation where they have to pay more than they should. In addition, the middle class is also worried about the possibility of "returning to poverty" due to illness as a result of the high medical fees. Although the reform proposal has set a ceiling of $10,000 per person per year, the accumulated annual expenses may still be quite burdensome for the chronically ill. In the face of rising public healthcare expenditure, an ageing population and financial pressure, reform of the public healthcare system is necessary, but the affordability of the public should be carefully considered. Healthcare Initiatives in 2026: Details of Inpatient and Specialist Outpatient Charges
(Effective from January 1, 2026)
