Replies to LegCo questions

LCQ17: Non-HK residents giving birth in HK

     Following is a question by the Dr Hon David Chu and a written reply by the Secretary for Health, Welfare and Food, Dr Yeoh Eng-kiong, in the Legislative Council today (May 12):

 

Question:

 

     Regarding non-Hong Kong residents giving birth in Hong Kong, will the Government inform this Council whether:

 

(a)  it knows the total number of cases in which non-Hong Kong residents gave birth in public hospitals in Hong Kong in the past three years, and whether, among them, there were cases involving default in payment of hospital charges and medical fees; if so, of the total amount of payment in default;

 

(b)  it knows how the Hospital Authority handles requests from non-Hong Kong residents for giving birth in local hospitals and cases of default in fee payment; whether the Authority has considered tightening the criteria for vetting and approving such requests, as well as improving the arrangements for collecting hospital charges and medical fees from non-Hong Kong residents; and

 

(c)  it has measures to restrict the entry of pregnant women who are not Hong Kong residents; if so, of the details of such measures; if not, whether the authorities will consider taking measures to prevent and stop non-Hong Kong residents from coming to Hong Kong for childbirth, and of the measures to deal with the non-Hong Kong residents who enter Hong Kong with the intention of giving birth during their stay here?

 

Reply:

 

(a)  The Hospital Authority (HA) does not routinely collate information on the number of obstetric cases involving non-Hong Kong residents in public hospitals.  However, due to the large number of non-resident Mainland women who gave birth in public hospitals in recent years, the HA has been tracking the number of such cases.  This number, the number of default cases and the amount written off consequently are as follows -

 

Year       Number of non-resident              Number                 Total

              Mainland women who                     of                     amount

              gave birth in HA                          default                written-off

              Hospital                                         cases                 

 

 

2001/02            7,327                                    192                  $1,637,912

 

 

2002/03            8,736                                    315                  $2,668,306

 

 

2003/04            8,727                                    232                  $1,667,273

 

 

     Since the number of non-resident women from places other than the Mainland who gave birth in public hospitals was quite small, the figures given above should account for the vast majority of obstetric cases involving non-residents in public hospitals.

 

(b)  The HA handles requests from non-Hong Kong residents for admission to give birth in a public hospital in the same manner as it handles such requests from Hong Kong residents, with the exception that non-resident patients are charged the non-entitled person (NEP) rate, which is set at levels to recover the full cost of medical services provided.  If a non-resident patient fails to settle an outstanding fee, the HA will contact the patient's next-of-kin for payment and follow up through telephone calls, mail reminders and a written final notice.  Legal action to recover the outstanding fee will be instituted, if necessary.

 

     Requests for admission to public hospitals from residents and non-residents alike are assessed on the basis of medical needs.  This practice best protects the health of the pregnant woman and the child to be born.  To minimise default payment by non-residents, it is HA's current policy that all non-residents are required to pay a deposit upon admission at a public hospital.  At present, the amount of the deposit is fixed at $19,800.  Nevertheless, it is a long-standing Government principle that no one will be denied adequate medical care due to a lack of means.  For cases in which the patient or her next-of-kin fails to pay the deposit, medical services will still be provided while collection of the deposit/outstanding fee is pursued.

 

     Apart from the collection of a deposit, the HA is exploring other ways with the Government to improve the arrangements for collecting hospital charges and medical fees from non-resident patients.

 

(c)  Visitors seeking to enter Hong Kong must meet normal immigration requirements.  These requirements include the possession of valid travel documents, adequate traveling expenses and documents/entry permits which enable them to return to their place of domicile.  Whether a visitor is pregnant or not is not part of the immigration requirements.  In general, a pregnant visitor may be allowed to enter Hong Kong if she is a bona fide visitor with a valid travel document.

 

     Visitors permitted entry into Hong Kong (including pregnant visitors) must leave Hong Kong before their limit of stay expires.  Overstaying is an offence in itself.  Persons who commit this offence are liable to prosecution and even imprisonment. As overstayers do not enjoy the right to stay in Hong Kong, they will eventually be repatriated to their place of domicile.

 

Ends/Wednesday, May 12, 2004

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