Sandwiched families with no medical waiver — no public-private information

After the public-private medical fee reform, sandwiched-class families face a double bind: public A&E fees rose sharply, while the widened waiver-eligibility threshold leaves four-person families on slightly higher incomes (household income above HK$50,000) ineligible, forced to bear the steep emergency fees themselves. Many Hong Kong households have a chronically ill elderly member at home, yet cannot afford private-clinic fees and cannot rely on the cheap public-hospital service either, creating a clear medical-protection gap.

The market lacks a clear tool or platform to help people clarify whether they qualify for a medical waiver, or to compare the actual costs of public versus private options, leaving people still bewildered and helpless after the fee reform. Such sandwiched families have a keen need for affordable, reliable chronic-disease management and outpatient-booking services — a potential market space overlooked by the current medical system.