Higher childbirth fees for tourists and non-residents next month

The deputy director of the Health Bureau, Ho Ioc San (center)

The adjusted fees of delivery services for non-resident parents will be officially applied starting from June 1, the Health Bureau reported yesterday in a press conference.

A dispatch concerning the topic, signed by Secretary for Social Affairs and Culture, Alexis Tam, was also published in the Official Gazette.

Besides the increased service fees, a subsidy program has also been announced.

According to an introduction made by Tang Yuk Wa, head of the Family and Community Services Department of the Social Affairs Bureau (IAS), a non-local woman who earns less than MOP4,050 per month is eligible to apply to the government to get a waiver for two-thirds of the service she would need to pay for childbirth delivery.

MOP4,050 corresponds to Macau’s minimum subsistence.

The standard is said to be similar to that of Hong Kong, and “is much higher than mainland China.”

“The income of non-local workers is comparatively lower than the income of locals. Currently, to the best of my knowledge, the number of [domestic helpers] is approximately 25,000. The median earning is MOP4,000, [which means] that around 12,500 people qualify for the subsidy program,” explained Tang, adding that “not only [the government] uses this [minimum subsistence] for non-local workers, but also the entirety of Macau.” In the past two years, around 220 non-local workers gave birth to a child in Macau.

The deputy director of the Health Bureau, Ho Ioc San, noted that currently, the subsidy policy will only apply to families where a marriage certificate is provided.

In regard to de facto marriages, the policy will not be applicable because, as Ho Ioc San said himself, “de facto relationship is difficult to prove.”

The IAS expects a similar number of non-local workers will give birth as in previous years after the new fee starts being applied.

The IAS claimed to be able to finish the application procedures for each of the above-mentioned subsidies within 30 days.

The adjustment concerns two groups of people: non-resident workers and tourists.

According to the proposal, the service fee of natural childbirth for non-local workers will be increased from the current MOP975 to MOP8,775. The increase for tourists will be bigger than the increase for blue-card holders. The price adjustment proposal for tourists is set at MOP 17,550 from the current MOP1,950.

Regarding a caesarean section (C-section), it is proposed that non-local workers pay MOP17,550 for the service, whereas they are currently paying MOP1,950. For tourists, the service fee for a caesarean section would increase to MOP35,100 from the current MOP3,900.