Prudential deepens partnership with United Family Healthcare, expanding cross-border healthcare ecosystem to Guangzhou and Shanghai

(23 October 2024, Hong Kong) Prudential Hong Kong Limited ("Prudential") today announced a strategic direct partnership with Guangzhou United Family Hospital (“GZU”) and Shanghai United Family Hospital (“SHU”), making Prudential the first insurer in Hong Kong to forge such a partnership with both hospitals at the same time. The partnership offers eligible customers simplified, fast-track Medical Expenses Direct Billing Services at both hospitals for a seamless cross-border healthcare experience.

Demand for such a partnership is evident in Prudential’s recent "Medical Freedom Survey", which showed that over 70% of respondents utilised cross-border medical services multiple times annually, but look for enhancements in areas such as service quality and consultation processes. Prudential is responding by strengthening its collaboration with United Family Healthcare (“UFH”) to extend cross-border medical services to more major cities in the Chinese mainland. This builds upon its strategic collaboration with Shenzhen New Frontier United Family Hospital announced in February.

Under the UFH Group, both GZU and SHU provide a comprehensive range of internationally accredited medical treatment and services, all supported by their prime locations, top-tier medical teams and advanced medical equipment. By leveraging its partnership with UFH, Prudential is broadening its range of high-quality medical options for customers who frequently travel between Hong Kong and the Chinese mainland. This collaboration empowers customers with greater autonomy on their healthcare journeys, allowing them to choose their medical resources and manage various medical expenses more easily.

Lawrence Lam, Chief Executive Officer of Prudential Hong Kong Limited, said: “Prudential listens closely to its customers to fully understand their needs. As demand for cross-border medical services grows, we are excited to strengthen our partnership with UFH, expanding our services in Guangzhou and Shanghai. We can now leverage our combined strengths to empower our customers in attaining more efficient and comprehensive cross-border medical services. It reaffirms our commitment to providing customers with greater 'medical freedom' and convenience.”

Carl Wu, CEO and Co-founder of New Frontier Group, and CEO of United Family Healthcare, said: "Both Shenzhen New Frontier United Family Hospital and Prudential Insurance share the same service philosophy, and both organizations are eager to pursue more innovative collaborations in the field of medical insurance in the Greater Bay Area. Our goal is to provide efficient, prompt, and internationally aligned medical services to benefit our customers. Medical Expenses Direct Billing Service ensures a worry-free claims process for customers who have purchased insurance in Hong Kong. It not only allows them to consult Hong Kong doctors in Shenzhen but also facilitates medical expenses settlement, eliminating the hassle of traveling between the two regions for medical treatment."

Medical Expenses Direct Billing Service for eligible Prudential customers

The partnership enables GZU and SHU to help customers apply for pre-approval of medical expenses so that, upon completion of the treatment, Prudential can directly settle the expenses with UFH. In addition, Prudential customers can enjoy the privilege of priority scheduling for medical consultations and room arrangements at both hospitals to expedite access to care. 

UFH’s extensive hospital network enables Prudential customers to access specialist referral services if further medical attention is required. Additionally, GZU and SHU provide transportation services to other UFH hospital for further treatment and follow-up care.

Candy Au Yeung, Chief Customer Operations and Health Officer at Prudential Hong Kong Limited, said: “This partnership marks a significant step forward in our commitment to enhance cross-border medical services. Driven by our shared vision, this collaboration addresses the diverse medical and protection needs of our customers, further enhancing their experience in the health journey. Prudential is working with our medical partners to build a robust, patient-centred healthcare ecosystem to offer customers comprehensive protection.” 

Vivian Liu, General Manager of United Family Healthcare Shanghai Area, stated: “The collaboration with Prudential Insurance provides Shanghai United Family Hospital patients with more convenient direct billing services, greatly simplifying the payment process. Additionally, the one-stop support, including appointments, consultations, and treatments, helps alleviate various situations patients may face during their treatment. This allows patients to focus more on their treatment and recovery, thereby accelerating their rehabilitation. Our hospital plans to attract and serve these cross-border patients by offering comprehensive and diverse medical services, including professional consultations and multidisciplinary surgeries. Furthermore, the hospital will establish a dedicated hotline for Prudential customers to provide consultation and other services, thereby attracting more international patients.”

Kelly Xia, General Manager of Guangzhou United Family Hospital, stated: “Guangzhou United Family has been rooted in Guangzhou for 16 years. This collaboration not only provides more convenient and reliable healthcare services for customers who frequently travel between the Chinese mainland and Hong Kong, but also meets the public’s demand for high-quality cross-border medical services. We believe that through the complementary advantages of both parties, we can further enhance the level of cross-border insurance medical network services in the Greater Bay Area. We look forward to exploring more innovative cooperation models with Prudential to bring more efficient and internationally aligned medical service experiences to a wide range of patients.”

As UFH’s largest facility in China, GZU provides a full range of world-class medical services, including internal medicine, surgery, family medicine, rehabilitation, Traditional Chinese Medicine and 24-hour emergency care. Meanwhile, SHU spans three campuses in Changning, Jingan and Pudong districts, offering a variety of services in internal medicine, surgery, obstetrics and gynaecology, paediatrics, psychiatry and 24-hour emergency care to meet diverse patient needs. Both hospitals are staffed by internationally experienced physicians and domestic specialists, ensuring exceptional healthcare services for all patients.

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Disclaimer

Cross-border medical services are provided by third-party service providers Prudential has designated. Prudential may change both the scope and the service provider or cease to provide the service at any time without prior notice. We are not the service provider or the agent of the service provider. We make no representation, warranty or undertaking as to the quality and availability of the service and shall not accept any responsibility or liability for the services provided by the service provider. Under no circumstance shall we be responsible or liable for the acts or omissions or services of the service provider.

About Prudential Hong Kong Limited

Prudential has been serving the people of Hong Kong since 1964. Through Prudential Hong Kong Limited and Prudential General Insurance Hong Kong Limited, we provide a range of financial planning services and products including individual life insurance, investment-linked insurance, retirement solutions, health and medical protection, general insurance, and employee benefits to protect over 1.3 million customers in Hong Kong. In 2023, Prudential established its Macau branch to offer health insurance and financial solutions for the Macau community, completing its footprint in the Greater Bay Area.

Please visit www.prudential.com.hk for more information.