公院治療癌症自費藥物費用　較市民估計高19倍　組織籲及早規劃

本港公營醫療系統一直被指超出負荷，出現病人輪候時間長、醫護人手不足等問題。在香港，癌症是頭號殺手，每10個死亡的港人，就有3個死於癌症。但有調查發現，港人低估在公立醫院治療癌症費用，逾五成人未有為未來癌症治療開支作準備。

香港執業專科醫生協會和病人組織「癌症資訊網」進行了一項調查，分別訪問100名癌症病人及501名非癌症患者。調查發現，受訪港人認為在公立醫院接受癌症治療，所需費用平均為1.35萬元，但癌症患者調查顯示，在公立醫院治療晚期癌症自費藥物費用，平均需付26.7萬元，比普通市民的預計多19倍。

另外，只有約四成人為未來癌症治療開支作準備，但當中約兩成人以強積金或退休金作準備。

組織建議，政府和市民均應儘早開展未來癌症治療規劃，應對日益增加的癌症治療開支。

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Citizens unaware of cancer treatment costs

Hongkongers lack awareness of the full cost of getting cancer treatment, according to a survey.

The Cancer Information Hong Kong Charity Foundation interviewed 500 people and asked them how much they thought would be the overall cost of terminal stage colorectal cancer treatment.

The respondents expected the cost of treatment in the vicinity of HK$60,000 on average at public hospitals.

But the actual cost could exceed HK$270,000 and the amount still doesn’t include target therapy and immunotherapy since the Hospital Authority does not offer these services for free.

Alan Ng Wai-lun, the foundation’s chairman, said more than half of the survey respondents have revealed that they were not setting aside any funds for cancer treatments.

Among the poll respondents, 57 percent said they have prepared for cancer by setting up savings. The rest said they would rely on medical insurance, the Mandatory Provident Fund and financial investments.

Asked what they would do if their insurance cover fails to pay for the costs of cancer treatment, 69 percent of the respondents said they would opt for cheaper public hospital services, and 11 percent said they would sell their apartments to raise funds.

The foundation also surveyed 100 cancer patients and 56 percent of the respondents said they had heard stories about fellow cancer sufferers forced to terminate treatments as they could no longer afford them.

Under the Voluntary Healthcare Insurance Scheme, which will be launched next year, cancer patients can claim a maximum of HK$80,000 for therapies.

Clinical oncology specialist Maverick Tsang Wai-kong said most target therapies cost between HK$30,000 and HK$40,000 per treatment.

Jeffrey Pong Chiu-fai of the Hong Kong Practicing Specialists Association has admitted that cancer services at public hospitals were often fully occupied.

“There are only around 100 clinical oncology specialists under the Hospital Authority and the doctor-patient ratio is one to 2,172,” he said.

文章來自： （中) HK01     (Eng) The Standard