As part of the reform, the fee for a range of services such as non-urgent, semi-urgent and urgent cases at accident and emergency wards was increased to HK$400. No payment is required for patients classified as critical and emergency.
An expansion of the waiver mechanism has also made more patients with financial difficulties eligible, after passing a means test.
Speaking after a Commercial Radio programme, Lo pointed out that around 14,000 people received fee waivers annually before the reform.
“For this year, we have already had over 280,000 fee waivers approved,” he said.
“So this is a dramatic increase – by actually more than 20 times – now in the number of people who actually get the fee waiver.
“This is a very dramatic improvement in safeguarding those who have financial difficulties through an assessment of their income and assets.”
Lo also said proposed Medical Council reforms, through amendments to the Medical Registration Ordinance, would improve resource utilisation.
Under the reforms, a four-tier penalty mechanism is being introduced, and doctors convicted of misconduct may no longer be entitled to a probation sentence.
Lo said the reforms meant that convicted doctors would not be suspended from practising all the time.
“In the past, there was either a suspension of the practising licences, and there is no way that for a particular doctor who is deficient in certain skills to be given a more precise penalty,” he said.
“For example, if a doctor is deficient in certain skills, the new penalty system will be able to impose restrictions on his practice without completely suspending his licence to practise.
“This is a very important issue, and we want to ensure that the penalty system is fair for both the public and the professionals.”