More Guangdong hospitals to accept elderly vouchers

Elderly Hongkongers will soon be able to use their government medical vouchers at another seven facilities in Guangdong, the government announced on Monday. At the moment, the only place across the border that accepts the annual HK$2,000 vouchers for the over 65s is the University of Hong Kong-Shenzhen Hospital. From the third quarter, the vouchers will also be accepted at five more hospitals – in Shenzhen, Nansha, Guangzhou, Zhongshan and Dongguan – as well as at two facilities in Shenzhen that provide dental services. At a press briefing, Health Secretary Lo Chung-mau said more than 38,000 people used the vouchers at the University of Hong Kong-Shenzhen Hospital last year. He said a greater choice of hospitals will provide more convenience for the 88,000 eligible Hongkongers living in other parts of the Greater Bay Area. "The whole purpose of setting this new pilot scheme up is to facilitate our elderly who have retired or elect to live in the Greater Bay Area for better access to healthcare facilities and to make sure that they can use the elderly healthcare voucher even in their new place of residence," he said.