Blue Cross upgrades medical plan for group staff
On.cc · 1 SOURCESabout 2 hours ago2 MIN
Summary
Blue Cross (Asia-Pacific) Insurance said it has launched an upgraded version of its “Cherished Care Select” medical insurance plan for existing Blue Cross group medical insurance customers in Hong Kong. The insurer said the product is designed for employees already covered under Blue Cross group medical plans, allowing them to top up protection at relatively affordable premiums and extend cover to spouses and children. The plan also aims to improve continuity of protection by allowing insured members to keep coverage even if they change jobs or retire. The launch comes as rising medical costs increase pressure on employers to control staff benefit spending while maintaining coverage standards.
Key Points
- A 2026 employee health and medical trends survey projected Hong Kong’s medical trend rate at 10.5% this year, pointing to sustained healthcare cost inflation.
- A Hong Kong Polytechnic University study estimated average employee group medical insurance premiums would exceed HK$10,000 per person this year.
- The upgraded plan includes core hospitalisation and surgical protection, plus optional outpatient, dental and newly added supplementary medical benefits.
- Covered expenses under the add-on medical, non-network outpatient and dental options are reimbursed at 80%, leaving customers to bear the remaining 20%.
- For selected plan tiers using network clinics under the outpatient add-on, customers do not need to pay any network co-payment.
Why It Matters
For Hong Kong employers, the product offers one way to shift part of rising healthcare costs into voluntary top-up cover while preserving a baseline group benefit structure. For employees and their families, portability after job changes or retirement may reduce the risk of losing medical protection at major life transition points.