Blog

Norman Ng: Letter to Director Lo Chung-Mao

Norman Ng/LinkedIn

May 12, 2025, 15:13

Norman Ng: Letter to Director Lo Chung-Mao

Norman Ng, Director, Patient Advocacy and Public Affairs at Healthcare Thinkers, posted on LinkedIn:

“Letter to Director Lo Chung-Mao

Dear Professor Lu,

I am writing to express my unwavering support for the promotion of healthcare financing and the strengthening of private health insurance in Hong Kong. I am a survivor of stage 4 non-small cell lung cancer and understand the financial burden of medical treatment. Since my diagnosis in December 2022, I have spent over HK$3 million on treatment, and private health insurance has played a vital role in ensuring that I receive high-quality medical care.

Without private health insurance, I would not have access to life-saving medical care. Private health insurance is essential in ensuring that middle-class families have access to timely and advanced health care. However, without effective regulation of fees, private healthcare costs may spiral out of control, leading to an increase in claims and a surge in premiums, threatening the sustainability of the system.

Without price transparency, even insured patients may be hesitant to seek necessary medical services for fear of unexpected costs and exorbitant charges. Recently, the Centre for Health Systems and Policy Studies at the Chinese University of Hong Kong held a forum to explore the strategic role of private health insurance, inviting policymakers, academics and healthcare professionals from the Asia-Pacific region to participate in the discussion. The importance of including private insurance in universal health coverage was emphasized.

Hong Kong’s healthcare system must remain accessible, sustainable and equitable. Middle-class households play an important role in supporting health care reform, and price transparency is key to ensuring that private health insurance is a viable financial tool. I sincerely hope that the Government will take further decisive action to enhance price transparency and protect patients from unnecessary financial burdens.

Thank you for your time and consideration. We look forward to the opportunity to discuss this matter further.

Sincerely
salute
Norman.”

More posts featuring Norman Ng on OncoDaily.