From January 1 to 18, Hong Kong's accident and emergency (A&E) departments saw a 21.3% drop in semi-urgent and non-urgent cases compared to last year. Meanwhile, critical and emergency cases rose by 7.7%. This shift shows more resources going to serious emergencies. However, raising fees is only part of the solution. Fee hikes help balance the budget and show that medical care is limited, but they do not address why many patients crowd emergency rooms. Often, patients visit A&E because they have no other option, especially after hours. Experts warn that raising prices without better healthcare alternatives could hurt vulnerable people. To fix this, Hong Kong must improve primary care services, especially in the evenings and at night. The city’s heavily subsidized healthcare has doubled government spending in the last 10 years due to aging and chronic illnesses. Nearly 60% of about 2 million yearly emergency visits are for less urgent issues. This shows the healthcare system needs change to work better and more fairly.