Health Insurance and Healthcare in Hong Kong Explained

Jump right in:

• How healthcare works in Hong Kong
• Pros & cons of the public healthcare system in Hong Kong
• An overview of private health insurance
• How to find a doctor or dentist
• Giving birth in Hong Kong

Hong Kong’s healthcare system is divided into two options: public healthcare and private medical care. The government provides all public healthcare services free of charge or for a small fee. However, if you choose to use the private system, it is essential to have a good private medical insurance, as your bills can be extremely high.

The public healthcare system explained

Public medical care is administered jointly by the Hong Kong Department of Health and the Hospital Authority. All of the clinics, doctors, and medical staff of Hong Kong are organized in regional clusters, so that every district can provide specialist care to its residents.

The Hong Kong public healthcare system provides a high level of medical standards and modern medical equipment. Most hospitals offer 24-hour accident and emergency services. This system works for all residents. This means that as soon as you’re in Hong Kong with a valid visa and have acquired the Hong Kong ID card, you’re eligible for public healthcare.

What does the public healthcare system not cover?

Dental care: Only emergency dental services (pain relief and extraction) are provided at limited public clinics; routine check-ups, fillings, or cleanings must be sought privately.

Non-standard drugs: Expensive or specialized medication and medical devices that aren’t on the hospital authority's standard subsidized drug list must be purchased privately by the patient.

Private ward upgrades: Choosing to stay in a first-class or second-class private ward in a public hospital voids the subsidy, and the patient is charged the significantly higher private fee, plus separate doctor’s fees.

Elective/cosmetic procedures: Any procedure or treatment not deemed medically necessary for the patient’s health, such as cosmetic surgery, is not covered.

Non-eligible persons (NEPs): Short-term visitors or non-residents (those without an HKID or a valid visa that qualifies them as an “Eligible Person”) are charged at a high, full cost-recovery rate, which is comparable to private hospital costs.

Some people might prefer being treated by a doctor from a Western country. Be aware that they may charge three times more than a local doctor. It’s also important to note that local doctors often have the same qualifications, and most have even graduated from the same Western universities as foreign doctors.

The downside of the public healthcare system is that it usually involves a lot of queuing and even months’ long waits to see a specialist. You shouldn’t expect a “customer-friendly”, patient-oriented mindset.

Public healthcare costs

What if you can’t afford these costs?

For those residents who cannot afford even these moderate fees, the Hong Kong government provides a fee-waiving mechanism (managed by the Hospital Authority and Social Welfare Department) to make sure that nobody is excluded from the benefits of healthcare due to a lack of financial means. However, these highly subsidized public health services are NOT available to non-residents (e.g. tourists).

Hong Kong healthcare facts

• Over 95% of people living in Hong Kong have been vaccinated against tuberculosis, streptococcus bacteria, polio, hepatitis B, measles, mumps, rubella, diphtheria, pertussis, and tetanus.
• About 10% of Hong Kong’s population are smokers.
• Life expectancy in Hong Kong is around 82 years for men and 88 years for women.
• Both private and public medical institutions in Hong Kong offer excellent care, and most medical staff speak fluent English.

Pros

• Affordable
• High-quality services
• Excellent emergency and maternity care
• Many doctors speak English

Cons

• Doesn’t cover dental care
• Long waiting times
• Doctors might treat their patients fairly straightforwardly

Private health insurance in Hong Kong works just the same as in the rest of the world. It provides healthcare to those not covered by public healthcare and those who want more comprehensive care. The majority of expats who work in Hong Kong have employer-provided medical insurance plans for themselves and their families.

Do you need private health insurance in Hong Kong?

Though public health insurance comes at a low cost and has a very good coverage, expats might opt for private health insurance for quick and convenient services as well as more healthcare coverage. Some expats choose to supplement their employer-provided insurance plan if it doesn’t cover everything they find necessary.

Private health insurance coverage

It’s advisable to pay attention to healthcare coverage during contract negotiations, as healthcare plans can vary tremendously with respect to the treatments they cover. Some plans include dental care and maternity benefits, others do not. Sometimes you may have to pay a deductible, or the insurance plan will only cover a certain percentage of your medical expenses. Other insurance plans will limit you to certain doctors. Paying attention to this beforehand can save you a lot of money later on.

How much does private health insurance cost in Hong Kong?

How much health insurance costs in Hong Kong usually depends on your age, pre-existing conditions, the provider of your choosing, and many other factors. The average cost for a health insurance plan for an adult around 30 years of age can be anywhere between 2,000 to 25,000 HKD (250–3,200 USD) per year, depending on the details of your personal insurance plan.

Local and international private health insurance plans

There are innumerable offers for private health insurance in Hong Kong. You can usually choose between a local plan and international private health insurance. Local health insurance will cover only expenses incurred in Hong Kong, and premiums are based on local medical costs. You might want to consider international health insurance if you’re not staying in Hong Kong for a long time.

International health insurance plans are transferable to different countries, and premiums are usually based on the international level of medical costs. While lots of expats prefer to use the private system for their healthcare needs, you don’t have to stick to one option. For instance, an expat woman having a baby in Hong Kong can choose to see private doctors for prenatal care but can still give birth at a public hospital.

How to get health insurance in Hong Kong

The Health Bureau of Hong Kong has set up the Voluntary Health Insurance Scheme (VHIS) initiative to help you better understand the local health insurance market. This scheme allows for companies to voluntarily submit insurance policies and get certified according to the specific standards.

All of the qualifying policies are listed on the website and presented next to one another, which makes it easier for customers to compare their options and choose the most suitable one.

VHIS requirements for insurance policies

• Guaranteed insurance renewal until 100 years of age
• No lifetime benefit limits
• 21-day-long cooling off period, during which you can cancel the policy and expect a full refund for premiums
• Transparency and information accessibility of the scheme

The coverage of the health insurance plans has to include:

• prescribed non-surgical cancer treatments (radiotherapy, chemotherapy, etc.)
• prescribed diagnostic imaging tests (ST, MRI, and PET scans)
• day case procedures (such as endoscopy)
• treatment of congenital conditions (manifested or been diagnosed since 8 years of age)
• psychiatric inpatient treatments (covered up to 30,000 HKD (approx. 3,900 USD) per year)

The certified insurance plans also have to cover unknown pre-existing conditions (25% in the second year, 50% in the third year after you purchase the policy; 100% covered afterwards). You can check the website to see the full list of VHIS providers in Hong Kong.

There are a few online platforms out there that will help you find family doctors, dentists, and other medical specialist in Hong Kong.

• FindDoc is a directory for searching doctors, dentists, and Chinese medicine practitioners.
• DrGo & Dr520 are apps that connects users with Hong Kong–registered doctors for video consultations and healthcare services.
• DoctorNow is a website for teleconsultation and medicine delivery services.
• HA Go App lets users manage hospital appointments, view medication records, pay bills, and book outpatient services.
• Primary Care Directory is a government website that lets you search for a medical practitioner in your area.

When searching, you can choose between looking for dentists, family doctors, specialists, or professionals practicing Chinese medicine. You can also specify the preferred gender of your doctor and see the doctor’s availability. The official and most trusted source for finding a doctor in Hong Kong is the Primary Care Directory. On the website, you can find the following information:

• contact details of the doctors
• their qualifications
• their type of practice (public or private)
• the hospitals they’re affiliated with
• the languages they speak
• prices of the consultations
• possible payment methods

However, the search engine doesn’t specify the field the doctors are working in, so you’ll need to look through their credentials to know their specialty.

Average wait time to see a doctor in Hong Kong

Below are the average wait times to see a doctor in a non-emergency situation.

Waiting for a scheduled surgery can take a long while in Hong Kong. Waiting for a joint replacement surgery might take you 4–10 years, according to the government’s statistics, while you’ll need to wait an average of nine months to two years for cataract surgery. However, having a private insurance can reduce the amount of waiting time drastically.

Hong Kong’s Hospital Authority provides a list of accident and emergency care (A&E) wait times in various hospitals around the territories.

When giving birth in Hong Kong, both locals and non-residents can choose either public or private care. Both options provide a high medical standard, and you can be sure that you and your unborn baby are in good hands.

What kind of prenatal services are offered in public hospitals?

As soon as you find out that you’re pregnant, you should schedule an appointment at one of the Maternal and Child Health Centers in your area. On your first visit, you’ll receive an index card where all your personal details and test results will be noted. Make sure to take this card with you to subsequent check-ups at the Health Center.

The Hong Kong Family Health Service provides you with a comprehensive shared-care program. It’s administered by Maternal and Child Health Centers (MCHCs) and includes routine check-ups, laboratory tests, and information on health issues during your pregnancy. If any abnormality is detected, the nurses at the Health Center will immediately refer you to an obstetrician at the nearest public hospital.

What are the prenatal services offered by private healthcare?

If you’re a foreigner who would rather make use of private prenatal care while having a baby in Hong Kong, you can find qualified specialists in the Hong Kong Medical Association’s directory. You should also seek advice from other expats and ask them which doctor they recommend.

Your private doctor will provide you with a full range of prenatal care and, if you choose to give birth at a private hospital, they’ll be present at your delivery. However, you should expect to pay between 1,000 up to over 2,000 HKD (approx. 130–260 USD) for every check-up appointment (this does not include additional testing and ultrasound exams).

If you want a midwife

Midwives, who will assist you during and after the birth of your child, are available in both public and private hospitals in Hong Kong. You can get more information from the Hong Kong Midwives Association as well as the Midwives Council of Hong Kong.

The main benefits of giving birth in Hong Kong are:

• high-quality medical services
• excellent hospitals
• the possibility of your child getting permanent residence in Hong Kong

Giving birth in Hong Kong without health insurance

If your private insurance does not cover the costs or if you don’t hold any private insurance at all, the public system of prenatal care may be the better option as it is free. The only expenses in this case will be the cost of the hospital ward (around 120 HKD (approx. 15 USD) per day), the administrative fee (around 75 HKD (approx. 10 USD)), and a few hundred Hong Kong dollars for the entire process.

Some expats choose to get prenatal care from a private doctor yet give birth at a public hospital. This is an option if you want to keep costs low, as giving birth in a private hospital can be very expensive.

How much does it cost to have a baby in Hong Kong?

The cost of giving birth depends on which hospital you choose, how complicated you birth is, and how long you need to stay in the maternity ward. Giving birth under the public healthcare system as a Hong Kong resident typically costs under 2,000 HKD (approx. 250 USD). Without a Hong Kong ID, the cost rises to around 40,000 HKD (approx. 5,000 USD).

Private prenatal care (including all visits, tests, and screenings up to delivery) typically ranges from 30,000 to over 90,000 HKD (approx. 3,900–11,600+ USD). Some hospitals require deposits as well, so make sure you decide on where you want to give birth in advance.

You should check very carefully if maternal healthcare is included in your personal Hong Kong health insurance plan. Some insurers may require you to extend your regular plan to include maternal care and pay an additional premium. Others may cover it only in part or have a cap at a certain amount.

Citizenship and birth in Hong Kong

A child who is born in Hong Kong to parents with Chinese nationality is automatically granted permanent residency in Hong Kong. The benefits of this include free public education and eligibility for a Hong Kong SAR passport, which offers visa-free travel to over 170 countries.

Newborns of expat parents from whom at least one has the right to abode in the country are granted permanent residence in Hong Kong as well. However, it only lasts up until they turn 21. If they wish to continue being Hong Kong residents after that, they need to apply for permanent residence themselves.

If neither of the parents have acquired permanent residence in Hong Kong, their child will need a permit. In order to obtain one, you’ll need to apply to the Hong Kong Immigration Department. Contact your country’s diplomatic mission in China for more information.