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The Government published in the gazette today (July 3) proposals to revise certain non-livelihood-related fees and charges under the purview of the Department of Health.
The fee adjustments are effected by way of legislative amendments under a number of public health-related legislations, namely the Medical Registration Ordinance, Dentists Registration Ordinance, Midwives Registration Ordinance, Nurses Registration Ordinance, Supplementary Medical Professions Ordinance, Chiropractors Registration Ordinance and Chinese Medicine Ordinance.
Under the Amendment Regulations, a total of 117 fees will be increased with the rate of adjustment ranging from 7 per cent to 20 per cent, and one fee item will be reduced by 14 per cent.
The Amendment Regulations will be tabled in the Legislative Council on July 8 and are expected to take effect on January 1, 2016.
A spokesman for the Department of Health said, "In line with the 'user pays' principle, it is the Government's policy that fees should in general be set at levels sufficient to recover the full cost of providing the services.
"Most of the fees covered have not been revised for nine years or longer and a recent costing review of these fee items showed that the majority of the fees fall short of full cost recovery.0
"There would not be substantial revisions to achieve full cost recovery at one go. The fee increases proposed were mild and would have minimal impact on the daily life of the general public," he said.
"The Department of Health regularly reviews and streamlines the relevant work procedures with a view to implementing efficiency initiatives to reduce or contain costs in providing the services. Such efficiency savings have been reflected in the proposed fee adjustments," he added.
Ends/Friday, July 3, 2015
Issued at HKT 16:03
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