Elderly Health Care Vouchers 2026: HK$2,000 a year for older people – what they can be used for and how to check the balance
Older people aged 65 or above holding a valid Hong Kong Identity Card or Certificate of Exemption automatically receive HK$2,000 in vouchers on 1 January each year, with an accumulation limit of HK$8,000. No prior registration is needed: after receiving a service in person from an enrolled healthcare service provider, they can use the vouchers by showing a valid identity document and giving a mobile phone number that can receive SMS messages.
Who can use Elderly Health Care Vouchers?
Older people aged 65 or above who hold a valid Hong Kong Identity Card or a Certificate of Exemption issued by the Immigration Department are eligible to use vouchers, except those who obtained the identity card by virtue of a permission to land or remain that has expired or is no longer valid.
Older people can receive and use vouchers from the year in which they turn 65; for example, someone who turned 65 in October 2023 could use vouchers from 1 January 2023.
How much are the vouchers each year?
Each eligible older person receives HK$2,000 in vouchers a year, automatically deposited into the voucher account on 1 January each year; unused amounts can be kept for later use, but the accumulated total in the account on 1 January each year may not exceed HK$8,000.
| Item | Amount or arrangement |
|---|---|
| Annual amount | HK$2,000, automatically deposited into the voucher account on 1 January each year |
| Accumulation limit | HK$8,000 (the accumulated total in the account on 1 January each year may not exceed this) |
| Unused amounts | Can be kept for later use, with no time limit |
| Optometry services | Up to HK$2,000 every two years (from 26 June 2019) |
| Elderly Health Care Voucher Pilot Reward Scheme | Using a cumulative total of at least HK$1,000 in vouchers on specified primary healthcare services in the same year automatically earns a reward of HK$500; up to HK$2,500 can be earned from 2024 to 2028 |
What can Elderly Health Care Vouchers be used for?
Vouchers can be used for preventive, curative and rehabilitative healthcare services provided by enrolled healthcare professionals, and for services at District Health Centres and District Health Centre Expresses.
14 types of healthcare professionals registered in Hong Kong can enrol in the Voucher Scheme: medical practitioners, Chinese medicine practitioners, dentists, nurses, physiotherapists, occupational therapists, radiographers, medical laboratory technologists, chiropractors, optometrists registered in Part I, and audiologists, dietitians, clinical psychologists and speech therapists (Government reply to the Legislative Council, June 2026).
From 6 December 2023, medical practitioners not yet listed in the Primary Care Directory may not take part in the Voucher Scheme; this measure was extended to dentists from 1 March 2025, and to occupational therapists and physiotherapists from 2 September 2025.
For how to look up a doctor in the Primary Care Directory and on the Medical Council's list, see How to check a doctor's registration and specialty in Hong Kong.
| Type of service | Can vouchers be used? | Examples or notes |
|---|---|---|
| Preventive, curative and rehabilitative healthcare services provided by enrolled healthcare professionals | Yes | The service provider must have enrolled in the Scheme |
| Services at District Health Centres and District Health Centre Expresses | Yes | — |
| Purchase of goods only | No | For example medicines or glasses |
| Government-subsidised public healthcare services | No (unless otherwise specified) | Including services the Hospital Authority purchases from the private sector, for example the General Outpatient Clinic Public-Private Partnership Programme |
| Inpatient services, prepaid healthcare services and day surgery procedures | No | For example cataract surgery or endoscopy |
| Service providers not enrolled in the Scheme | No | — |
How do I use Elderly Health Care Vouchers?
Older people do not need to register or collect vouchers in advance; an enrolled healthcare service provider opens a personal voucher account for the older person the first time vouchers are used.
Vouchers can be used only after the older person has received the healthcare service in person, and the older person must show a valid Hong Kong Identity Card or Certificate of Exemption to the enrolled healthcare service provider; without a valid identity document, vouchers cannot be used.
To use vouchers, the older person must give a mobile phone number that can receive SMS messages (a family member's or carer's number can be used instead), and the amount of vouchers used is notified immediately by SMS.
From 28 July 2023, two eligible older people who are spouses can, with the consent of both and after completing the procedure to link their voucher accounts, share each other's vouchers; each time a spouse's vouchers are used, a copy of the spouse's latest Hong Kong Identity Card (or Certificate of Exemption) must be shown to the healthcare service provider (Government reply to the Legislative Council, May 2026).
Before using vouchers, you can first ask the healthcare professional about the fee and how much will be deducted from your vouchers.
How do I check my voucher balance?
Older people with a voucher account can check their voucher balance and the amount available for optometry services through the enquiry page of the eHealth (Subsidies) System, the Voucher Balance Enquiry Hotline 2838 0511 (interactive voice response system), or the eHealth mobile app (for older people registered with eHealth).
For how to register with eHealth, see eHealth registration.
Can Elderly Health Care Vouchers be used in the Greater Bay Area?
Yes, but only at designated service points: including the two sites of The University of Hong Kong-Shenzhen Hospital, there are 21 service points in the Greater Bay Area where vouchers can be used (Government press release, May 2025); to use vouchers at a medical institution in the pilot scheme, eligible older people must first register with eHealth.
The pilot medical institutions under the Elderly Health Care Voucher Greater Bay Area Pilot Scheme were expanded from 7 to 19, covering all nine Mainland cities in the Greater Bay Area (Government press release, May 2025); the ‘Restrictions in Using Health Care Vouchers’ page of the Elderly Health Care Voucher Scheme website (read on 1 October 2026) now lists The University of Hong Kong-Shenzhen Hospital and these 19 pilot medical institutions.
Frequently asked questions
At what age can I use Elderly Health Care Vouchers?
Older people aged 65 or above holding a valid Hong Kong Identity Card or Certificate of Exemption are eligible, and can receive and use vouchers from the year in which they turn 65.
Can Elderly Health Care Vouchers be used to buy medicines or glasses?
Vouchers cannot be used for the purchase of goods only, for example medicines or glasses; the amount of vouchers that can be used for optometry services is capped at HK$2,000 every two years.
Can Elderly Health Care Vouchers be used at public hospitals?
Unless otherwise specified, vouchers cannot be used for government-subsidised public healthcare services, including services the Hospital Authority purchases from the private sector, for example the General Outpatient Clinic Public-Private Partnership Programme; vouchers can, however, be used for services at District Health Centres and District Health Centre Expresses.
How do I check my voucher balance?
Through the enquiry page of the eHealth (Subsidies) System, the Voucher Balance Enquiry Hotline 2838 0511, or the eHealth mobile app (for older people registered with eHealth).