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歡迎收聽「長者法網智多聲」。無論生病、身體檢查、生孩子、甚至是動手術，很多市民都會選擇到公立醫院或診所，這一節我們就為大家介紹享用公共醫療服務的資格和權利。
無論是香港市民或遊客，任何人都可以享用香港的公營醫療服務，分別只是在於大家付的錢不同。醫院管理局轄下的醫院及門診服務收費可以分為三類，收費最便宜的，是符合資格人士，其次是非符合資格人士，最昂貴的是私家收費。
符合資格人士，即持有永久性居民香港身份證的人。入境條例已經列明甚麼人可以成為香港的永久性居民，亦有列出怎樣會喪失永久居民的身份，大家可以參考長者社區法網文字版。
醫管局和衛生署亦接受任何已經離開香港、持有非香港永久性居民身份證的人，以符合資格人士的身份，享用獲資助的公營醫療服務。香港的老友記如果在內地居住，只要持有有效的永久或非永久居民身份證，都可以以符合資格人士的身份使用獲資助的香港公營醫療服務。簡單來說，只要能夠出示有效的香港身份證就可以了。
至於正在領取綜援的人，使用公營醫療服務可以不用付錢。如果不是綜援受助人，但又負擔不起公營醫療服務的收費，就可以向各間公立醫院和診所的醫務社會服務部、社會福利署綜合家庭服務中心、或保護家庭及兒童服務課，申請減免收費。
老人家身體沒那麼強壯，看醫生的機會比較多，為了幫助老友記減輕負擔，政府在2009年推出長者醫療券試驗計劃，在2014年，醫療券計劃除已由試驗性質轉為恆常長者支援計劃。年滿70歲、持有香港身份證或豁免證明書的長者，現在每年會獲得價值二千元的醫療券，可以用來看中西醫、牙醫、脊醫、物理治療、職業治療和驗眼等。用不完的醫療券，可以保留和累積至四千元。有關醫療券計劃的詳情，可以參考長者社區法網文字版或香港政府一站通網頁。
聽完這一節「長者法網智多聲」，將來有病痛要看公立醫生的同時，各位老友記都會明白，為甚麼收費會這麼便宜了。在這裡祝大家身體健康，拜拜。
PrintElderly Health Care Voucher
The Health Care Voucher Pilot Scheme was launched on a pilot basis for a period of three years from 1 January 2009 and was converted to a recurrent programme in 2014. The electronic vouchers are issued annually to residents aged 70 or above (2016 or before)/65 or above (starting from 2017) to partially subsidise their use of private primary health care services.
Eligible elders do not need to register in advance. When they need to receive healthcare service and use the vouchers, they just need to show their Hong Kong Identity Card to an enrolled healthcare service provider and sign a consent form. The vouchers will not be issued in paper form. The healthcare service provider will deduct the amount via an electronic system and issue a receipt to the elderly after the voucher is deducted.
Under the Health Care Voucher Scheme, all residents aged 70 or above (2016 or before)/65 or above (starting from 2017) who hold Hong Kong Identity Cards or Certificates of Exemption were provided annually health care vouchers of the amounts as follows:
|
Year |
Annual Voucher Amount (HKD) |
|
2009 |
250 |
|
2010 |
250 |
|
2011 |
250 |
|
2012 |
500 |
|
2013 |
1,000 |
|
2014 |
2,000 |
|
2015 |
2,000 |
|
2016 |
2,000 |
|
2017 |
2,000 |
|
2018 |
3,000 |
|
2019 |
3,000 |
|
2020 and onwards |
2,000 |
Any unspent voucher amount can be carried forward and accumulated, but the unspent voucher amount cannot exceed the accumulation limit of $8,000. Advance use of vouchers which have not yet issued is not allowed.
Health care vouchers can be used for the following:
- services provided by medical practitioners, Chinese medicine practitioners, dentists, chiropractors, registered nurses, enrolled nurses, audiologists, dietitians, physiotherapists, occupational therapists, radiographers, medical laboratory technologists (services provided by allied health professionals and laboratory test services fall under the current referral arrangement), optometrists (in Part I of the register), clinical psychologists and speech therapists.
- preventive, curative and rehabilitative healthcare services
Health care vouchers cannot be used for the following:
- to solely purchasing products such as medication, spectacles, dried seafood or medical equipment;
- to pay for subsidised public health care services, including publicly subsidised health care services purchased from the private sector (such as the General Outpatient Clinic Public-Private Partnership Programme);
- inpatient services, pre-paid healthcare services and day surgery procedures, such as cataract surgery or endoscopy services; and
- to settle the fees of healthcare services provided by service providers who have not enrolled in the Scheme.
Residents aged 70 or above (2016 or before)/65 or above (starting from 2017) who hold a valid Hong Kong Identity Card (permanent and non-permanent) are eligible voucher recipients even if they are not permanent residents. Residents aged 70 or above (2016 or before)/65 or above (starting from 2017) who are receiving CSSA or disability allowance are also eligible for the health care vouchers.