Chief Executive John Lee said this morning that a review of charges and fees for public health services is part of wider reforms to healthcare and will not involve cutting back on expenditure or compromising care for those in need.
Mr Lee was responding to questions from reporters about upcoming adjustments to fees for public hospital and medical services. He stressed that the Health Bureau has been instructed to observe three principles as it reviews the relevant fees.
“First, it is not an expenditure cutting exercise. We shall spend no less money, just to readjust the spending distribution for the sake of efficiency and effectiveness.
“Second, priority should be given to the most needed. This includes helping those with economic difficulties and those cases in which the patient suffers from emergency, the most serious, and critical illnesses.”
Mr Lee outlined that the third principle is to reduce wastage of resources. He added that he has urged the bureau to finalise its review as soon as possible, with an aim to announce details before the end of March.
