Voluntary Health Insurance To Start From April

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2019-03-29 HKT 18:02

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• Voluntary health insurance to start from April

The government has announced that it has certified 38 different plans under its voluntary health insurance scheme, which will be rolled out on April 1.

The average premium of a standard plan under the scheme is HK$4,000 a year.

The Health Secretary, Sophia Chan, said she hopes many people will subscribe to these insurance policies and this will help steer patients towards the private medical sector, easing the burden on public hospitals.

People buying these insurance packages can enjoy a tax break of up to HK$8,000.

The minimum requirements for an accredited insurance package include the coverage of unknown pre-existing conditions and guaranteed renewal until the insured person reaches 100 years old.

The chairman of the Hong Kong Private Hospitals Association, Dr William Ho, said he believes private hospitals are are expanding capacity and will be able to cope with the increase in the number of patients that is expected after the scheme kicks in.