Hong Kong Dental Association says expansion of elderly healthcare voucher scheme in bay area could hurt city’s economy

Hong Kong’s Dental Association has said it is concerned an expansion of an elderly healthcare voucher scheme to more hospitals and dental clinics in the Greater Bay Area could deal a blow to business and the economy, despite assurances from authorities local dentists will remain competitive given the quality of service.

Dental Association president Spencer Chan Chiu-yee said on Tuesday the economic damage would be significant if all Hong Kong elderly residents in mainland China opted to use dental services across the border.

“The local economy has been recovering slowly,” Chan told a radio programme. “With 500,000 Hongkongers residing in Greater Bay Area cities and 90,000 of them eligible to use the Elderly Health Care Voucher … some HK$100 million [US$12.8 million], or up to HK$200 million, will be snatched from the local economic system.”

The government on Monday announced the plan to expand the usage of the elderly healthcare voucher scheme to seven additional hospitals and dental clinics in mainland cities from the third quarter at the earliest, allowing older residents to enjoy services at a cheaper price than in Hong Kong.

Chan also said the scheme’s expansion would encourage residents to visit dentists on the mainland, adding that some local private dental clinics suffered a 20 to 30 per cent drop in business after the city’s border with Shenzhen reopened last year.

The bay area refers to Beijing’s initiative to integrate Hong Kong, Macau and nine mainland China cities into an economic powerhouse by 2035.

Health officials said they hoped the scheme could benefit elderly city residents who were retiring in the bay area and those living in Hong Kong who wanted to use dentists across the border.