Gov-funded Programme

1. What is the Glaucoma Public-Private Partnership (PPP) Programme?
   The Glaucoma Public-Private Partnership (PPP) Programme aims to provide stable glaucoma patients who are currently receiving treatment in Hospital Authority (HA) ophthalmology specialist clinics with additional options to receive medical services from private ophthalmologists.

2. What services are covered under the programme?
Each patient may receive up to four subsidized consultations per year, including specified glaucoma medications. Patients are also entitled to one subsidized visual field test and one optical coherence tomography (OCT) scan each year, both provided by participating private ophthalmologists.

3. How are the charges calculated? Are there any fee waivers for specific persons?
Patients joining the programme will pay the same fees as those charged at HA specialist outpatient clinics—currently HK$80 per consultation, HK$15 per medication, and HK$80 per examination.
Patients meeting any of the following criteria will receive the same fee waiver arrangements as those used by the HA:

• Recipients of the Comprehensive Social Security Assistance (CSSA) Scheme

• Holders of a Certificate for Waiver of Medical Charges (full or partial)

• Recipients of the Old Age Living Allowance aged 75 or above

• Holders of Level 0 Residential Care Service Vouchers for the Elderly

The exact eligibility and exemption criteria are listed on the HA’s official webpage for this programme:
http://www.ha.org.hk/ppp/glaucomappp

By mutual agreement, patients may choose to pay out-of-pocket or use their Elderly Health Care Vouchers for any additional services or treatments provided by private ophthalmologists outside the scope of this programme.

4. Who is eligible and how to join the programme?
Eligible patients are those who:

• Have received glaucoma management at an HA ophthalmology specialist clinic for at least the past 12 months, with their condition assessed as stable;

• Have been invited by the HA Glaucoma Public-Private Partnership (PPP) Programme Office; and

• Are registered under the Electronic Health Record Sharing System (eHealth).

The HA will issue invitation letters to eligible patients in phases. Patients do not need to apply on their own. Invited patients may freely choose whether to join the programme and select any participating private ophthalmologist.

5. Can Elderly Health Care Vouchers be used?
Elderly persons participating in the Elderly Health Care Voucher Scheme may use the vouchers to pay for services or medication costs that are not covered under this programme, when visiting private ophthalmologists registered under the voucher scheme.

6. How to make an appointment for the Glaucoma Public-Private Partnership (PPP) Programme?
Eligible patients who have received an HA invitation may arrange appointments through the following channels:

• Phone: 2117 1828

• WhatsApp (inquiry and booking only): 6670 5910

7. Want to learn more?
For additional inquiries about the Glaucoma Public-Private Partnership (PPP) Programme, call the programme hotline at 2300 6688 (Monday to Saturday, 9 AM – 9 PM) or email glaucomappp@ha.org.hk.
You can also visit the HA’s official webpage for more details:
https://www4.ha.org.hk/ppp/ppp-programmes/glaucomappp/programme-intro

(Source: Hospital Authority)