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15 May, 2000 The Public Hold Different Views on Healthcare Financing Reform (Press Release) |
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The Hong Kong Policy Research Institute has conducted a special survey relating to the recent media report on possible options for healthcare financing reform considered by the government. The survey was conducted on the two evenings of 8-9 May. A total of 980 completed samples were collected. Some of the findings of this survey are compared with the results of similar surveys conducted by the Institute in the same period in 1999.
In this survey, we focused on two issues, namely public opinion on (i) the modes of healthcare financing reform, and (ii) the degree of acceptance of varying options for charge increases in the public sector medical services.
Compared with the results of 1999, we had the following findings in May 2000.
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44.1% of the respondents in May 2000 (and 48.3% in 1999) considered that the system of healthcare financing and charges should undergo reform. (See table 2)
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Concerning the mode of financing reform, 47.2% of the general public considered in May 2000 (and 49% in 1999) that the status quo should be maintained and no reform is necessary. (See table 3)
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However, most respondents cannot agree at this stage on other options of financing reform. For example, (a) 46.9% disagreed that government should raise regular tax; (b) 39.3% disagreed to adopt compulsory medical insurance; (c) 40.7% disagreed to implement compulsory medical savings. (See table 3) Public opinion on these three options is in fact in line with our findings of the media analysis in 1999.
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Concerning the options to increase charges of the public sector medical services, 55.0% agreed to impose charges on those non-emergency cases using the services of the emergency ward. (68.6% in 1999 agreed to it). But other options received much less support. For example, (a) only 25.1% agreed to increase fee for the outpatient and specialist services (while 44.6% disagreed); and (b) only 18.1% agreed to increase charges for hospital services (while 51.1% disagreed). (See table 4)
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Among all respondents, 43.7% (compared with 48.3% in 1999) were not covered by any form of insurance. (See table 1)
The Healthcare Financing Reform Survey is a telephone survey, and the respondents are the public of 18-64 years old. The distribution of sample age groups is based on the distribution of age groups of Hong Kong population. The total number of respondents of this survey in May is 980.
| Contact persons: | Mr. Ray Chan (researcher of HKPRI, tel.: 2686 1592) |
| Mr. Michael Kwan (assistant researcher of HKPRI, tel.: 2686 1051) |
Survey Results on Healthcare Financing Reform
As public consultation on the captioned matter may be commenced soon, HKPRI took the initiative of conducting a telephone survey on 8-9 May 2000 in regard of healthcare financing and charge reform, and the survey results are summarised as follows:
Table 1. Have the respondents bought medical insurance?
|
Survey period |
Yes, bought by myself |
Yes, provided by company |
Yes, besides provided by company, also bought by myself |
Not covered by any medical insurance |
Total |
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|
Num-ber |
% |
Num-ber |
% |
Num-ber |
% |
Num-ber |
% |
Num-ber |
% |
|
|
8-9 May 2000 |
312 |
31.8% |
133 |
13.6% |
107 |
10.9% |
428 |
43.7% |
980 |
100.0% |
|
Jun.-Aug. 1999 (Average) |
234 |
23.7% |
145 |
14.7% |
131 |
13.3% |
476 |
48.3% |
985 |
100.0% |
Table 2. Do you consider healthcare financing and charge reform necessary?
|
Survey period |
Necessary |
Not necessary |
No idea |
Total |
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|
|
Num-ber |
% |
Num-ber |
% |
Num-ber |
% |
Num-ber |
% |
|
8-9 May 2000 |
432 |
44.1% |
241 |
24.6% |
307 |
31.3% |
980 |
100.0% |
|
Jun.-Aug. 1999 (Average) |
476 |
48.3% |
192 |
19.5% |
318 |
32.2% |
985 |
100.0% |
Table 3. Respondents' attitude towards different healthcare financing options.
|
Healthcare financing options |
Agree |
Middle |
Not agree |
No idea |
Total |
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|
Num-ber |
% |
Num-ber |
% |
Num-ber |
% |
Num-ber |
% |
Num-ber |
% |
|
|
Status quo |
283 |
28.9% |
463 |
47.2% |
119 |
12.1% |
115 |
11.7% |
980 |
100.0% |
|
Government increases tax |
118 |
12.0% |
320 |
32.7% |
460 |
46.9% |
82 |
8.4% |
980 |
100.0% |
|
Mandatory medical insurance for all people |
247 |
25.2% |
259 |
26.4% |
385 |
39.3% |
89 |
9.1% |
980 |
100.0% |
|
Medical saving for aged 40 or above who will contribute 1-2% of their salaries |
322 |
32.9% |
207 |
21.1% |
399 |
40.7% |
52 |
5.3% |
980 |
100.0% |
Table 4. Respondents' attitude towards different public medical charge increase options.
|
Public medical charge increase options |
Agree |
Middle |
Not agree |
No idea |
Total |
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|
Num-ber |
% |
Num-ber |
% |
Num-ber |
% |
Num-ber |
% |
Num-ber |
% |
|
|
Status quo |
394 |
40.2% |
297 |
30.3% |
166 |
16.9% |
123 |
12.6% |
980 |
100.0% |
|
Charge for non-urgent cases in the accident and emergency units |
539 |
55.0% |
158 |
16.1% |
242 |
24.7% |
41 |
4.2% |
980 |
100.0% |
|
Increase charge for general and special consultation in the out-patient services |
246 |
25.1% |
243 |
24.8% |
437 |
44.6% |
54 |
5.5% |
980 |
100.0% |
|
Increase the hospital treatment charge |
177 |
18.1% |
253 |
25.8% |
501 |
51.1% |
49 |
5.0% |
980 |
100.0% |
