Discounts mark Shenzhen health-care voucher firsts

Wallis Wang

Hong Kong's elderly can now use health-care vouchers at three medical institutions in Shenzhen starting yesterday and that's all right by them as its hospitals and clinics are highly regarded for their high-quality services and short waiting times .

Shenzhen New Frontier United Family Hospital and Dental Bauhinia Specialty Service Center in Futian and Shenzhen CKJ Stomatological Hospital in Luohu offer a variety of medical services, including health checks and dental care.

Hongkongers have found that medical costs there are only a third of those here.

A 67-year-old, Lee, and his wife visited New Frontier United Family Hospital for an eye examination yesterday.

Lee said he frequents the hospital for its high-quality services, advanced equipment and cheaper charges compared to private hospitals here.

The biggest advantage, he added, is that patients do not have to wait long.

"We could be required to wait for a year for a health check-up in Hong Kong, or even longer, but we don't have to wait here and the hospital would accommodate your schedule The patient has the final word on the consultation time, not the doctors," Lee said.

He was also confident in the mainland's stricter supervision of medical services.

The hospital offers discounts for Hong Kong elderly who use the vouchers, to which they are entitled to HK$2,000 a year.

For instance, the ophthalmologist's fee of 1,100 yuan (HK$1,197) is reduced to 299 yuan for voucher users.

New Frontier executive director Brian Siu Ngai-fong said around 20 percent of patients are Hongkongers, of which 60 to 70 percent are elderly aged above 65.

He expects the proportion of Hongkongers to increase to 30 percent now that it has started accepting health-care vouchers.

Siu added that it only costs Hongkongers 200 to 400 yuan per consultation, which lasts at least 20 to 30 minutes, giving them sufficient time to discuss their condition.

The CKJ hospital in Luohu also offers a discounted price of 58 yuan for scaling, much lower than the 180 yuan original fee.

One elderly, Chan, who visited yesterday, said, "It is really expensive to see a dentist in Hong Kong, while the price in Shenzhen is only half of the charges. Since I no longer have an income, I'm grateful for the government's support."

Deputy Secretary for Health Eddie Lee Lik-kong said, in a tour of the three facilities yesterday, that the elderly are responding positively to the expanded coverage.