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Many diseases and illnesses are treatable or preventable if detected early. Body checks, or health checkups, can provide valuable information for you to understand your body and improve your health. But it can be hard to navigate the many and various screening options.
This guide will answer every question you may have about body checks – from when to get a checkup, what tests you need, how to choose a screening package, to how much they cost and whether they are covered by insurance!
Although Hong Kong does not have an official recommendation for health checkups, several countries recommend having a basic body check every year after the age of 18 and a more comprehensive checkup every few years. Getting married, having children, changing jobs and reaching other important milestones in life are also good reasons to get an in-depth checkup.
Check out our previous article for a suggested screening frequency of specific tests at different ages.
A basic body check usually includes a number of tests for common diseases. Here we explain some common tests to help you understand what each of them is for.
Test & Principle | Screening for |
Ultrasound: Generates images of organs based on the time and strength of the echoes bouncing back.
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X-ray: Generates images of internal structures by sending ionizing radiations through your body.
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Test & Principle | Screening for |
Colonoscopy: Examines the colon by inserting a flexible tube with a camera.
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Collect cells from your cervix for examination. HPV test: checks for HPV in particular | |
PSA test: Measures the level of prostate-specific antigen (PSA) in blood. |
Test & Principle | Screening for |
Fasting plasma glucose: Measures your fasting blood sugar level. | |
Cholesterol test: Measures the cholesterol and triglycerides levels in your blood. |
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Blood pressure measurement: Measures your systolic (when the heart contracts) and diastolic (when the heart relaxes) blood pressure. |
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Test & Principle | Screening for |
Estimate your weight status and body composition. BMI: Measures your height-to-weight ratio. Waist circumference: A physical measurement. Body fat percentage: Estimates your body fat content by passing an electric current through your body and measuring the resistance. |
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ECG: Records electrical activity to observe the contraction pattern (timing and strength) and heart rhythm. |
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More comprehensive body check packages are likely to cost more. But a more expensive package does not necessarily mean better. What matters the most is finding a body check package that best suits your needs to cover tests for diseases that you have a higher risk of and haven’t been recently screened for.
The risk factors for diseases include your age, sex, your personal and family medical history, and your lifestyle. For example, smoking increases the risk of having lung cancer. If you are aged 50 to 80 and smoke more than 20 packs per year, consider having a chest X-Ray to check for lung cancer every year. According to the Cancer Online Resource Hub, individuals with hereditary bowel diseases (e.g. familial adenomatous polyposis (“FAP”) or Lynch Syndrome), persistent inflammation of the bowel (e.g. ulcerative colitis, history of colonic polyps), and family history of colorectal cancer, particularly in first-degree relatives, have a higher risk of having colorectal cancer. If you have the above conditions, consider having a colonoscopy every 5 years. Talk to your family doctor for recommendations of body check items and a personalized body check plan.
Note that, however, if you already have symptoms of a disease, please do not wait until your next body check and visit a doctor right away. Health checkups should only be used as a screening test for asymptomatic people.
Body check packages provided by the private sector can be more flexible on the time and also the combination of tests included. We list some options below to help you save time!
* Please visit the provider’s website or contact them beforehand for any promotional discounts.
** Some service providers may have more branches despite that only one of them is listed below. You may visit their own websites for contact information of the other locations.
Service provider | Body check plan with price | Test highlights |
Quality HealthCare (QHMS)
Tel: 2367 3011 | Men 30+ Premium: HK$3,800 |
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Mobile Medical
Address: Room 804, Capitol Center, 5-19 Jardine Bazaar, Causeway Bay, Hong Kong Tel: 2369 0680 | Man's Braze STAR Health Check Plan: HK$2,980 |
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Trinity Medical Centre Address: 22/F, Entertainment Building, 30 Queen’s Road, Central, Hong Kong Tel: 2197 0122 | Premium Men Health Check-up Plan: HK$3,130 |
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Service provider | Body check plan with price | Test highlights |
CUHK Medical Centre
Address: 9 Chak Cheung Street, Shatin, New Territories Tel: 3946 6188 | WomenCare Health Check Programme - W2 Plan: HK$4,800 |
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HKBH Ambulatory Medical Centre
Address: 222 Waterloo Road, Kowloon Tel: 2123 1128 | Well Women Health Plans - Pearl Plan: HK$4,100 |
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MediFast Address: 13/F, Wai Fung Plaza, 664 Nathan Road, Mongkok, Kowloon Tel: 2272 8222 | Complete Gynaecological Health Check Program (MF020A): HK$4,480 |
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Service provider | Body check plan with price | Test highlights |
Union Healthcheck Centre
Address: 9/F, H Zentre, 15 Middle Road, Tsim Sha Tsui, Kowloon Tel: 2682 2313 | Male Plan ( II ): HK$1,830
Female Plan ( II ): HK$2,730 |
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Virtus
Address: Virtus Medical Tower, 122 Queen's Road Central, Central, Hong Kong Tel: 3893 6300 | Premarital Checkup Individual: HK$1,750
Couple: HK$2,700 |
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Adventist Medical Center
Address: Room 1606-1610, 16/F, Hang Lung Centre, 2-20 Paterson Street, Causeway Bay, Hong Kong Tel: 2782 2202 | Premarital 1 (M): HK$1,950 Premarital 1 (F): HK$1,920 |
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*All amounts are in HKD. No responsibility is accepted for any inaccuracies, errors, or omissions. It is always best to call ahead to ensure the information is still up-to-date.
Alternatively, the government provides subsidies for a few body check programs to offer affordable screening options to the public. These programs focus on colorectal cancer, cervical cancer, breast cancer and other health risks.
If you are a Hong Kong residents aged between 50 and 75 and do not have any symptoms of colorectal cancer, you can receive screening services in the private sector for preventive purpose with the subsidy from the Government’s Colorectal Cancer Screening Programme.
To join the Programme, you must fulfill the following criteria:
The government subsidizes most of the fees, but you may need to make a co-payment (<HK$300 for each PCD consultation and <$1,000 for a colonoscopy) depending on the service provider you choose. Check the Programme details to learn more.
Women aged at or above 25 who have any sex experience are encouraged to undergo regular cervical screening. In Hong Kong, you can get cervical screening services from family doctors, gynecologists, non-governmental organizations, Maternal and Child Health Centres (MCHCs) and Woman Health Centres (WHCs) of the Department of Health (DH). The fees at MCHCs for eligible persons (HKID holders) is HK$100. You can search for the list of cervical screening service providers here. Please contact the service provider for the pricing and appointments.
Woman Health Service is mainly offered at the three Woman Health Centres (WHCs) and three selected Maternal and Child Health Centres (MCHCs) in certain sessions.
The Service includes:
The annual fee for an eligible person (HKID holder) is HK$310. More details on the charges, and contact details of the centres can be found here.
Women aged 40–74 or with risk factors of breast cancer should consider doing a mammogram every 2 years (or as your doctor suggests). The fee for women who have joined the Woman Health Service is $225 (eligible persons). The same service is available to members of Elderly Health Centres (see below) at the same price.
The government’s Elderly Health Centres provide health screening, medical treatment, injection and dressing to senior citizens aged 65 at a relatively low price. You must enroll as a member to use the service. However, since the turnover of members is not high, new applicants may have to wait longer before they can complete enrollment. See the waiting time for each EHC here.
The FPAHK provides Women's Health Check-up, Men's Health Check-up and Pre-marital Check-up at affordable price.
A Women's Health Check-up includes taking of medical history, general physical examination (measurement of blood pressure, pulse rate, body weight and height; examination of the thyroid, abdomen, breasts and pelvis; auscultation of heart and lung), urine analysis (for glucose and protein), Pap test (where appropriate) and teaching breast self-examination. The fee is HK$565 (with Pap test) / HK$280 (without Pap test).
Women's Health Check-up is also offered in Youth Health Care at HK$435 (Entitled persons) / $585 (Non-entitled persons).
A Men's Health Check-up includes taking of medical history, general physical examination (measurement of blood pressure, pulse rate, body weight and height; examination of the thyroid, abdomen, testis and penis; auscultation of heart and lung), urine analysis (for glucose and protein), peak expiratory flow rate and digital rectal examination (where appropriate). The fee is HK$280.
The fee of a Pre-marital Check-up varies from HK$750 to $6,000 based on the service content. Visit here for more details.
*All amounts are in HKD. No responsibility is accepted for any inaccuracies, errors, or omissions. It is always best to call ahead to ensure the information is still up-to-date.
Please note that the waiting time for government-subsidized body checks may be longer and the choices for appointment time may be limited.
Comprehensive health insurance plans in Hong Kong usually cover health check-ups under the outpatient benefits. But they may imposes monetary limits ranging between US$500 and $2,000 and additional time limits. For instance, an insurance plan may cover health check-ups for up to US$1,000 every 3 years.
Some insurance plan, employers and credit cards offer free or significantly-discounted body checks. Make sure to check with your insurance provider or read through your group medical policy for any terms and conditions before using the benefit.
Everyone over the age of 18 is recommended to have a basic body check every year and a more comprehensive body check every few years. A lot of diseases are treatable or preventable if found early.
You can get a government-subsidized health check-up from Woman Health Centres (WHCs), Maternal and Child Health Centres (MCHCs), Elderly Health Centres and The Family Planning Association of Hong Kong (FPAHK). You can also get body checks from private hospitals, clinics and body check centers.
According to our research, the price of a health screening can vary from HK$700 to over HK$20,000, depending on the test items and the service provider you choose. You can choose the test items based on your risk for the disease. If you are unsure, you can always visit your primary care physician for advice.
This article was independently written by Healthy Matters and is not sponsored. It is informative only and not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. It should not be relied upon for specific medical advice.
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