The Voluntary Health Insurance Scheme was a step in the right direction but without deeper systemic reform, it will struggle to make an impact
This problem is structural. People are being pushed to choose between the public system or buying a plan to go private. But this binary choice doesn’t reflect how people experience illness or navigate care. Life is not dual-track; it’s blended. Our financing system should be too.
Basic VHIS plans often fail to cover the full cost of private care, particularly when a hospital stay or complex procedure is involved. Policyholders are frequently left 30 per cent or more out of pocket, including for diagnostic imaging and specialist fees. For middle-income families, these costs can be prohibitive. This undermines the core purpose of insurance: to provide financial protection and choice.
It doesn’t have to be this way. Around the world, governments are finding smarter ways to integrate public and private financing, regulate quality across settings and drive better outcomes. Hong Kong should do the same. Five reforms are urgently needed.
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