The Hong Kong Federation of Insurers (HKFI) today (Friday, 13 March 2015) announces its views on the Voluntary Health Insurance Scheme (VHIS) proposed by the Food and Health Bureau and suggests ways to improve the new initiative.

"Hong Kong has a robust private medical insurance market providing various forms of protection to more than 3.8 million people in Hong Kong," said Mr David Alexander, Chairman of HKFI's Task Force on Health Care Reform. "We welcome the Government's initiative to reform our health care system and deliver a viable and sustainable system for our society. But it is also our duty to voice out major concerns about a number of fundamental operating principles relevant to the proposed scheme which may have serious implication on the sustainability of the scheme and how it is going to achieve its stated objectives. With a view to making real progress, the industry has already proposed a package of solutions to the Government."

The concerns over the Government's current VHIS proposal include:

●  Lack of choice for customers
●  The suggested premium level
●  Transparency of fees charged by doctors and hospitals
●  Sustainability of the High Risk Pool
●  Sustainability of the VHIS“The industry strongly believes that consumer choice must be maintained to suit different consumers' needs, affordability and preferences,” said  Ms Elaine Chan, Deputy Chairman of HKFI’s Task Force on Health Care Reform. “On this basis, the industry will upgrade the existing private health insurance market and at the same time proposes VHIS 2 to introduce choice and flexibility while embracing the fundamental core values of VHIS, i.e. guaranteed acceptance, guaranteed renewal, portability, premium transparency, standardised policy terms and conditions, no lifetime limit and coverage of ambulatory services, advanced diagnostic imaging tests and cancer treatments."

The proposal of VHIS 2
The Position Paper on Consultation on Voluntary Health Insurance Scheme (VHIS)
The documents of Comments on the Consultation Document - Regulation of Private Healthcare Facilities (“PHF”)

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