Hong Kong Elderly Health Care Voucher (EHCV)’s Greater Bay Area pilot scheme will be extended to Foshan with two new service points and expanded with an additional service point each in Guangzhou and Zhongshan, according to the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region government.

Starting July 9, Guangdong Clifford Hospital in Guangzhou and Zhongshan Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine in Zhongshan will be covered by the pilot scheme, the government announced on Monday.

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From July 17, the First People’s Hospital of Foshan and the Eighth Affiliated Hospital of Southern Medical University, both in Foshan, will also be included in the scheme.

Eligible Hong Kong senior citizens may use EHCVs to pay for the outpatient healthcare services fee at designated departments. The service fees are denominated in renminbi.

“The pilot scheme will be launched at a traditional Chinese medicine hospital for the first time, which will not only bring another breakthrough to the EHCV scheme but also provide eligible elderly persons with additional choices in healthcare services," said a spokesman for the SAR government.

With the four additional service points, the number of service points in the Bay Area where EHCVs can be used will increase to 15, benefitting more than 1.78 million eligible Hong Kong elderly people.

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EHCVs are applicable for outpatient healthcare services provided by 12 departments at Zhongshan Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine, 13 departments at Guangdong Clifford Hospital, 14 departments at the First People’s Hospital of Foshan, and 15 departments at the Eighth Affiliated Hospital of Southern Medical University.

Users need to register with eHealth before using EHCVs at GBA service points.

The HKSAR government also said it is actively taking forward the implementation of the pilot scheme in six other medical institutions. The arrangements are expected to be launched gradually in the second half of this year.