Public Hospital Fees 2026: Pricing for Inpatient, A&E, ICU, X-rays, and Diagnostic Procedures

The Hospital Authority (HA) of Hong Kong has implemented its latest public healthcare fee reform, overhauling the service charge structure across public hospitals and clinics. This reform aims to concentrate public resources on patients with low income, acute conditions, severe illnesses, and critical needs. It also abolishes the inpatient admission fee and introduces a non-means-tested annual cap of HK$10,000 on medical expenses.

2026 Overview of Major Public Hospital Service Fees

Public hospital charges are categorized by eligibility into two primary tiers: Eligible Persons (EP) (Hong Kong permanent residents or valid HKID holders) and Non-Eligible Persons (NEP) (non-residents and visitors).

Accident & Emergency (A&E) and Intensive Care Unit (ICU) Fees

1. New Triage-Based A&E Charging Model

• Eligible Persons (EP): Standard fee adjusted to HK$400 per attendance. In accordance with the "emergency-first" principle, patients triaged on-site as Category I (Critical) or Category II (Emergency) receive a 100% full fee waiver.
  
• Refund Policy: Non-critical patients who register and pay but decide to leave before being seen by a doctor may apply within 24 hours for a refund of HK$350 (subject to a HK$50 administrative retention fee).
  
• Non-Eligible Persons (NEP): HK$2,100 per attendance.
  

2. Intensive Care Unit (ICU) and High Dependency Unit (HDU)

• Subsidized Public Inpatient Care: Eligible persons admitted to the ICU or HDU due to critical clinical conditions (such as acute organ failure, severe trauma, or major post-operative recovery) have their care covered under the standard acute inpatient rate of HK$300 per day, with no supplementary daily ICU charge.
  
• Unsubsidized Services / Private Status ICU: Patients opting to receive care in a public hospital ICU under private patient status are charged HK$22,450 per day; for non-eligible persons, the rate is HK$35,600 per day.
  

Inpatient Hospitalization and Private Bed Charges in Public Hospitals

Public hospitals have streamlined the general ward billing structure by abolishing the former one-off HK$75 administrative admission fee:

• Acute Beds: HK$300 per day for eligible persons (inclusive of meals, fundamental clinical assessment, routine nursing care, and standard formulary medications).
  
• Convalescent, Rehabilitation, and Psychiatric Beds: HK$200 per day for eligible persons.
  
• Private Beds in Public Hospitals (Unsubsidized Services): Eligible persons opting for private ward accommodations (such as private wings at Queen Mary Hospital or Prince of Wales Hospital) are billed under private healthcare rates:
  
  • First Class Bed: HK$6,960/day (Acute Hospitals) / HK$5,810/day (Non-Acute Hospitals)
    
  • Second Class Bed: HK$4,640/day (Acute Hospitals) / HK$3,870/day (Non-Acute Hospitals)
    
  • Note: Private bed stays incur separate charges for ward rounds, surgical operations, diagnostic procedures, and pharmacy items.
    

Diagnostic Procedures and Testing Fees (X-rays, CT/MRI, Cancer Therapies)

To encourage appropriate utilization of healthcare resources, non-emergency radiology investigations and pathology diagnostics follow a three-tier fee schedule:

1. Diagnostic Radiology (X-rays and Advanced Imaging)

• Eligible Persons (EP):
  
  • Basic Tier (e.g., plain X-ray films): Free.
    
  • Advanced Tier (e.g., ultrasound, fluoroscopy): HK$250 per investigation.
    
  • High-End Tier (e.g., CT, MRI, static PET scans): HK$500 per investigation.
    
• Non-Eligible Persons (NEP): Basic HK$400 / Advanced HK$1,600 / High-End HK$4,700.
  

2. Clinical Pathology Diagnostics (Blood Tests and Tissue Biopsies)

• Eligible Persons (EP):
  
  • Basic Tier (e.g., Complete Blood Count, liver/renal functional panels): Free.
    
  • Advanced Tier (e.g., specific serological, immunological, or virology tests): HK$50 per investigation.
    
  • High-End Tier (e.g., genetic mutation assays, cancer molecular target panels): HK$200 per investigation.
    

3. Cancer Therapies (Oncology Outpatient and Day Procedures)

Standard fees for oncology patients receiving care in public facilities include:

• Oncology Outpatient Clinic Consultation: HK$250 per attendance (plus standard formulary prescription fees of HK$20 per drug item for a 4-week supply).
  
• Day Oncology Treatment Centre (Chemotherapy / Radiotherapy): Chemotherapy infusions, targeted therapeutics, or radiation therapy delivered as day-case procedures are charged at HK$250 per attendance and session.
  
• Self-Financed Cancer Therapeutics (SAD / Non-Formulary Drugs): Novel targeted agents or immunotherapies not covered by the Samaritan Fund or Community Care Fund safety nets must be purchased at full cost by the patient.
  

Two-Tier Safety Net: HK$10,000 Annual Expense Cap and Fee Waivers

To relieve financial hardship for patients facing sudden catastrophic illnesses or chronic conditions (such as cancer or end-stage renal failure on dialysis), a dual safety net mechanism is in place:

1. Annual Medical Expense Cap (Non-Means-Tested)

• Eligibility: All eligible Hong Kong residents.
  
• Mechanism: Within a single calendar year (January 1 through December 31), once cumulative out-of-pocket payments for eligible public medical services (including A&E, outpatient clinics, inpatient days, and radiological investigations) reach HK$10,000, patients can apply for a full waiver via the HA Go mobile application or hospital shroff counters. Upon approval, all eligible public healthcare expenses are waived for the remainder of that calendar year.
  

2. Traditional Medical Fee Waiver Mechanism (Means-Tested)

• Low-income households, seniors, or low-asset individuals whose monthly household income does not exceed 75% of the median monthly domestic household income (and who satisfy asset ceiling limits) may apply through Hospital Medical Social Services for partial or total waivers of their medical expenses.