University Health Service

I opted not to purchase medical insurance whilst in Hong Kong for three reasons. As a UNSW student, I get travel insurance covering serious incidents (albeit with a $50 AUD excess). As a Hong Kong student, hospitalisation in public hospitals is charged at a flat rate of $100/day (HKD). And as a CUHK student, I get free basic health care, free medicine and affordable dental services.

From mid-November, I noticed the skin on parts of my face were dry, flaky and red. Over a month later, nothing has changed. So I paid a visit to CUHK’s health centre. The first three times I went were by appointment, where the doctors were shockingly on time or even early. Since today’s visit was on a whim, I was prepared to wait maybe two hours.

I entered at 3:10, collected a queue slip, then took a seat, playing with my phone for 25 minutes, looking up at the monitor every so often. Once my number showed up, I went in, came out around three minutes later with a prescription slip, and walked 15 metres to the pharmacy.

Medicine is distributed in generic ziplock bags, in only the quantity needed, which I find to be neat and efficient. Don’t forget this is completely free. After asking the chemist to reprint the instructions in English (they default to traditional Chinese), I was on my way at 3:40.

In and out in 30 minutes.

Health care is amazing here. This is the gold standard, and Australia would do well to learn from it.