The Hospital Authority will implement a new policy from October 29, allowing public hospitals to respond to requests from non-local mothers asking for exceptional consideration of refund of obstetric package charges on special grounds.

These special circumstances can be grouped into two categories - occurrence of miscarriage, termination of pregnancy or stillbirth; and on a change from non-eligible to eligible person status period between payment and delivery.

For non-eligible people who have paid $39,000 for the obstetric package charges in public hospitals, a partial refund of $20,000 will be made for justified cases fulfilling the criteria in the first category after deducting charges for the hospital services they have received for the pregnancy.

Under the second category, pregnant women with a change of status from non-eligible to eligible between payment and delivery will be fully refunded for obstetric package charges after deducting those for the hospital services they receive for the pregnancy.

The refund arrangement will not be an entitlement but subject to application and approval. Refund for cases paid between February 1 and October 28 will be considered.