Retroactive Charging for upgrades to higher-class wards

NOTICE PAPER NO. 2763

NOTICE OF QUESTION FOR ORAL ANSWERS

FOR THE SITTING OF PARLIAMENT ON 7 MAY 2024

Name and Constituency of Member of Parliament

Mr Ang Wei Neng

MP for West Coast GRC

Question No. 6034

To ask the Minister for Health (a) what is the current policy when charging a patient who chooses to stay at different classes of a general ward during each period of stay at a public hospital; and (b) whether a patient can choose to stay at different classes of a general ward when admitted to a public hospital and be charged the respective fee of each type of class.

NOTICE PAPER NO. 2760

NOTICE OF QUESTION FOR ORAL ANSWERS

FOR THE SITTING OF PARLIAMENT ON OR AFTER 8 MAY 2024

Name and Constituency of Member of Parliament

Mr Leong Mun Wai

Non-Constituency MP

Question No. 6025

To ask the Minister for Health (a) what is the rationale for retroactive charging for upgrades to higher-class wards, especially when patients do not consume services and amenities of the higher-class wards before their upgrades; and (b) whether retroactive charging applies to cases where patients downgrade to lower ward types; and (c) if not, why not.

Answer

1  My response today will also address the oral question filed by Mr Leong Mun Wai, on retroactive charging for upgrading wards for subsequent sitting.  

2  When patients stay in a higher class ward and then downgrade to a lower class ward towards the end of their stay, they will receive subsidies based on the respective ward classes.  This is fair.  In fact, where the request to downgrade is due to unaffordability because of complications or unexpected additional costs, public hospitals will find ways to support these patients financially.

3  However, this is for downgrading of wards. For upgrading of wards, there is a different consideration. We have to discourage patients from selecting lower ward classes to secure more subsidies for more costly treatments, such as surgery and ICU at the beginning of their stay, and then switch to higher ward classes once these more expensive treatments are completed.  Many of these patients are not of lower income and could have chosen the higher ward class from the outset. That is why if a patient upgrades, the level of subsidies will be adjusted retroactively.