On March 25, the Secretary for Health, Lo Chung-Mau, alongside the Chief Executive of the Hospital Authority, Ko Pat-sing, announced the details of the public healthcare fee reform. The decision to adjust the fees for specialist outpatient and family medicine outpatient medications to HK$20 and HK$5, respectively, with a uniform limit of "up to 4 weeks," has generated considerable public discussion. Citizens are concerned about whether patients requiring long-term medication will need to visit the hospital every four weeks to collect their prescriptions, potentially creating unnecessary hassles.
In a radio program today (March 26), Ko clarified that the "up to 4 weeks" does not refer to the quantity of medication dispensed, but rather serves as a unit for calculating fees. He assured that medications can still be provided for 16, 18, or even up to 24 weeks, without any issue.
He also noted that, based on experience, there have been instances of significant waste even when dispensing medications for 16 weeks.
Ko emphasized that the medication dispensing process has always been flexible, determined by the doctor based on the patient's actual circumstances.
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