Public hospital fees for Non-eligible Persons 2026: A&E HK$2,100, specialist outpatient HK$850, and who counts as an Eligible Person
From 1 January 2026, Non-eligible Persons pay HK$2,100 per attendance at Hospital Authority Accident and Emergency Departments, HK$850 per specialist outpatient attendance and HK$7,400 per day in a general ward, without public subsidy. Holders of a Hong Kong Identity Card (except those who obtained it by virtue of a permission to land or remain that has expired or is no longer valid) and children under 11 who are Hong Kong residents are Eligible Persons and pay the fees for Eligible Persons.
Who counts as an Eligible Person?
Holders of a Hong Kong Identity Card issued under the Registration of Persons Ordinance (Cap. 177) are Eligible Persons, except those who obtained the identity card by virtue of a permission to land or remain that has expired or is no longer valid (Hospital Authority schedule of charges, effective 1 January 2026).
Children under 11 who are Hong Kong residents, and other persons approved by the Chief Executive of the Hospital Authority, are also Eligible Persons (Hospital Authority schedule of charges, effective 1 January 2026).
The categories of Eligible Persons are set out in Government Notice No. 5708 gazetted on 27 September 2013 (Government reply to the Legislative Council, April 2026).
Our analysis: patients not in the above categories pay according to the separately gazetted schedule of charges for Non-eligible Persons; by definition, visitors to Hong Kong without a Hong Kong Identity Card are generally Non-eligible Persons (except persons approved by the Hospital Authority Chief Executive).
Our analysis: the definition in the schedule of charges depends on holding a Hong Kong Identity Card issued under the Registration of Persons Ordinance, and does not distinguish between permanent and non-permanent residents; those who obtained the identity card by virtue of a permission to land or remain that has expired or is no longer valid are excepted.
How much more do Non-eligible Persons pay than Eligible Persons?
Taking Accident and Emergency as an example, from 1 January 2026 Non-eligible Persons pay HK$2,100 per attendance and Eligible Persons HK$400 per attendance.
Fees for Non-eligible Persons are adjusted to the 2023-24 cost of services and are not subsidised by public funds.
| Service | Non-eligible Persons | Eligible Persons |
|---|---|---|
| Accident and Emergency (per attendance) | HK$2,100 | HK$400 |
| Specialist outpatient clinic (per attendance) | HK$850 | HK$250 |
| Family Medicine Clinic (per attendance) | HK$500 | HK$150 |
| Hospital bed (per day) | General ward HK$7,400 | Acute bed HK$300 |
What are the other charges for Non-eligible Persons?
From 1 January 2026, Non-eligible Persons pay HK$74,000 per service for obstetric delivery at the Hospital Authority in booked cases, and HK$35,600 per day for an intensive care unit bed; other items are in the extract below.
Non-eligible Persons must pay a deposit for services on admission.
For private hospital delivery package fees, see Private hospital maternity package fees.
| Service | Charge for Non-eligible Persons |
|---|---|
| Specialist outpatient prescribed drugs | HK$90 per drug item, charged in units of 4 weeks (self-financed drugs excluded) |
| Family Medicine Clinic prescribed drugs | HK$40 per drug item, charged in units of 4 weeks (self-financed drugs excluded) |
| Intensive care unit | HK$35,600 per bed per day |
| High dependency unit | HK$21,000 per bed per day |
| Nursery | HK$3,100 per bed per day |
| Mental hospital | HK$3,100 per bed per day |
| Oncology clinic (day hospital / day procedure type) | HK$1,300 per attendance |
| Ophthalmology clinic (day hospital / day procedure type) | HK$950 per attendance |
| Day procedures and treatment at an ambulatory facility | HK$7,400 per attendance |
| Obstetric delivery (booked cases) | HK$74,000 per service |
| Obstetric delivery (non-booked cases) | HK$130,000 per service |
| Pathology tests (at specialist clinics and Family Medicine Clinics; Basic / Intermediate / Advanced items) | HK$400 / HK$800 / HK$16,100 per item |
| Non-emergency radiology services (Basic / Intermediate / Advanced items) | HK$400 / HK$1,600 / HK$4,700 per item |
Can Non-eligible Persons get a refund of the Accident and Emergency fee?
Yes: Non-eligible Persons who have paid and leave the Accident and Emergency Department before being seen by a doctor can apply for a refund of HK$1,850 within 24 hours of registering at Accident and Emergency.
For Accident and Emergency triage and the Accident and Emergency fee for Eligible Persons, see Accident and Emergency fees, triage and refunds; for the overall fees reform for Eligible Persons, see Public healthcare fees and charges reform 2026.
Frequently asked questions
Without a Hong Kong Identity Card, how much do I pay at a public hospital Accident and Emergency Department?
Our analysis: visitors to Hong Kong without a Hong Kong Identity Card are generally Non-eligible Persons. From 1 January 2026, Non-eligible Persons pay HK$2,100 per attendance at Hospital Authority Accident and Emergency Departments.
Which fees do non-permanent residents holding a Hong Kong Identity Card pay?
Our analysis: the schedule of charges lists holders of a Hong Kong Identity Card issued under the Registration of Persons Ordinance as Eligible Persons, without distinguishing between permanent and non-permanent residents; those who obtained the identity card by virtue of a permission to land or remain that has expired or is no longer valid are excepted.
How much does it cost a Non-eligible Person to give birth in a public hospital?
From 1 January 2026, the Hospital Authority's obstetric delivery service for Non-eligible Persons costs HK$74,000 per service for booked cases and HK$130,000 per service for non-booked cases.
How much does a Non-eligible Person pay at a public specialist outpatient clinic?
From 1 January 2026, Non-eligible Persons pay HK$850 per attendance at Hospital Authority specialist outpatient clinics, and HK$90 per prescribed drug item, charged in units of 4 weeks (self-financed drugs excluded).