Budget Speech

Healthcare Reform

130.      The Working Group on Primary Care chaired by the Secretary for Food and Health has put forward a number of proposals to strengthen primary care services. These include extending the pilot project for strengthening the support to chronic patients, setting up community health centres or networks, and enhancing primary dental services and oral health promotion programmes, particularly those for the elderly. I will allocate a total of about $600 million for the next three financial years to implement these proposals.

131.      During the Budget consultation period, I heard suggestions to revise the value of health care vouchers under the Elderly Health Care Voucher Pilot Scheme and to adjust the age limit under the scheme. The Food and Health Bureau will consider these suggestions in its mid-term review of the pilot scheme later this year. Subject to the review findings, I will provide the necessary resources.

132.      Many people suggested to me that tax deduction should be provided for private medical insurance premium or expenses. The Government is working out a supplementary healthcare financing option operating on a voluntary participation basis, containing insurance and savings components. We plan to consult the public on the option this year. In working out the option, we will consider how to make use of the $50 billion earmarked in the fiscal reserves for implementing the healthcare financing reform, and take into account the suggestion on tax deduction.

Content | Next Page