Manulife Hong Kong Becomes First Hong Kong Insurer to Partner with Ant Health to Launch Cross-Boundary Direct Billing via AlipayHK App
Bringing Customers a More Connected Healthcare Experience
Powered by Ant Health’s digital Medical Protection Card1 on the AlipayHK App, the new service connects customers with designated hospitals2 in the Chinese Mainland, 24/7 booking support3 and cross-boundary direct billing4
For Immediate Release
November 10, 2026
Hong Kong – Manulife (International) Limited ("Manulife Hong Kong") and Ant Health5 today announced the launch of a new cross-boundary medical support service6 for eligible Manulife Hong Kong customers, making Manulife Hong Kong the first Hong Kong insurer7 to partner with Ant Health to launch a cross-boundary direct billing arrangement accessible through the AlipayHK App. With the new service, eligible customers can activate Ant Health’s digital Medical Protection Card on the AlipayHK App to find designated hospitals and arrange outpatient consultations via a 24/7 booking hotline, helping them navigate healthcare in the Chinese Mainland with greater ease. Where designated treatment is recommended by their attending doctor, customers can apply for direct billing and receive updates on their pre-approval application status8. Together, these service features help deliver a more connected healthcare experience from consultation9 to payment.
For customers seeking medical care across the Greater Bay Area ("GBA"), finding suitable hospitals and coordinating appointments, pre-approval and payment can involve navigating different channels. By bringing these touchpoints together, the new service supports a more convenient, transparent and connected cross-boundary healthcare journey.
"As customer needs evolve beyond traditional insurance protection, we are focused on building connected health solutions that make healthcare easier to access and navigate. More customers are living, working and travelling across Hong Kong and other cities in the GBA, and they increasingly expect healthcare support that keeps pace with the way they live," said Danny Lee, Chief Health Officer of Manulife Hong Kong and Macau. "As the first Hong Kong insurer to partner with Ant Health on a cross-boundary direct billing arrangement, we are bringing together insurance, healthcare services and digital innovation to simplify the healthcare journey. This collaboration reflects our commitment to being a trusted health partner, helping customers access care across borders with greater confidence, convenience and peace of mind."
The initiative combines Manulife Hong Kong’s insurance expertise, Ant Health’s digital capabilities and hospital network, and the accessibility of the AlipayHK App. It is designed to support eligible Manulife Hong Kong customers whose medical needs extend across Hong Kong and the Chinese Mainland, including frequent cross-boundary travellers and Hong Kong retirees living in the GBA.
"Closer collaboration between health insurers and healthcare service providers has become a major trend in enhancing users' medical service experience and improving their overall health and well-being," said Zhang Junjie, Vice President of Ant Group and Head of the Health Business. "Through this in-depth collaboration with Manulife Hong Kong, we look forward to delivering more convenient and compassionate cross-boundary health services for our users, advancing our long-term vision of 'making healthcare simpler and lives healthier,' and contributing to the development of a 'Healthy Greater Bay Area'."
"AlipayHK exists to bring people's day-to-day life into a single, trusted app. Through this collaboration, it enhances accessibility and simplifies payments so customers can enjoy a smoother, more digitally enabled cross-boundary medical journey — from finding the right GBA hospital and arranging appointments to tracking pre-approval status directly through the App. In doing so, we're not just simplifying access to healthcare; we're digitalizing yet another essential part of how Hong Kong people live, work and stay well across the GBA," said Martin Tang, Chief Commercial Officer of AlipayHK.
Eligible Manulife Hong Kong customers can access the 24/7 booking hotline for help finding a suitable hospital and specialist and arranging an outpatient appointment. Where eligible treatment is recommended by their attending doctor, customers can scan their digital Medical Protection Card, and the hospital will provide assistance in the completion and submission of the pre-approval application form to Manulife Hong Kong. Customers can then check their pre-approval status through the AlipayHK App before treatment. Approved eligible medical expenses can be settled with the designated hospital through direct billing.
The new service builds on the Memorandum of Understanding ("MOU") signed by Manulife Asia and Ant Health in September 2026 to explore ways to make healthcare services easier to find, access and pay for. It marks further progress in the collaboration, with Manulife Hong Kong and Ant Health continuing to explore opportunities to enhance the cross-boundary healthcare experience.
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Terms and conditions apply. The service is available to eligible customers only and is subject to the applicable terms and conditions. This service is an additional value-added service and a special administrative arrangement. It does not form part of the contractual benefits of any eligible Manulife policy. Manulife reserves the right to amend, suspend or terminate this service from time to time.
The Medical Protection Card, hospital information and 24/7 booking hotline available through AlipayHK App are operated by Ant Health. AlipayHK App is a payment platform only and is not involved in providing or issuing the Medical Protection Card, offering any medical advice, or engaging in any insurance-related activities or regulated insurance business.
Manulife makes no representation, warranty or undertaking as to the availability or performance of these functions and services. Any eligibility verification, pre-approval assessment, claim assessment and coverage decision are conducted solely by Manulife. Manulife and its intermediaries do not provide medical advice. Customers should consult their medical advisors for professional medical advice.
Photo:
From left: Lourens Roets, Chief Health Officer of Manulife Asia; Danny Lee, Chief Health Officer of Manulife Hong Kong and Macau; Yang Meng, Vice President of Ant Health; and Zhang Junjie, Vice President of Ant Group and Head of the Health Business, at the launch of the first-ever "Medical Protection Card" for cross-boundary direct billing by Manulife Hong Kong and Ant Health.
1 Medical Protection Card is an electronic service code provided by Ant Health through AlipayHK. The term Medical Protection Card is the service name designated by Ant Health and is quoted in this press release for identification purposes only. The Medical Protection Card, hospital information and 24/7 booking hotline available through AlipayHK are operated by Ant Health and its appointed third-party service providers. Manulife Hong Kong makes no representation, warranty or undertaking as to the availability or performance of these functions and services. Any eligibility verification, pre-approval assessment, claims assessment and coverage decision is conducted solely by Manulife Hong Kong.
2 Designated hospitals may change from time to time. Customers should refer to the designated hospital list in the AlipayHK App for the latest information.
3 The 24/7 booking hotline is operated by Ant Health and its appointed third-party service providers, which are independent contractors and are not agents of Manulife Hong Kong. Mandarin and English hotline services are available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Cantonese hotline service is available from 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. on Hong Kong business days.
4 In this press release, direct billing refers to the "Manulife Direct Billing Service" (also known as the Cashless Service), which is a special administrative arrangement under which customers receiving designated medical services at designated hospitals are not required to pay upfront for designated medical expenses that have been pre-approved by Manulife, after pre-approval confirmation. This service is subject to the relevant terms and conditions. The set of Manulife-specific Terms and Conditions applicable to this service can be reviewed within the service journey in AlipayHK App.
5 "Ant Health" is a health services brand under Ant Group. Entities operating under the Ant Health brand include Ant Yikang (Guangzhou) Information Technology Co., Ltd. and AHA Healthcare Technology HK Limited, among others.
6 This service is an additional value-added service and a special administrative arrangement. It does not form part of the contractual benefits of any eligible Manulife policy. Service availability and eligibility are subject to the applicable terms and conditions. Manulife Hong Kong reserves the right to amend, suspend or terminate the service from time to time. Policies issued in Macau are not currently eligible for the service.
7 Based on a comparison of publicly available information as of November 10, 2026, among major life insurers in Hong Kong, Manulife Hong Kong is the first to announce a cross-boundary direct billing arrangement in collaboration with Ant Health.
8 Customers should always refer to Manulife Hong Kong’s official notification channels, including SMS, the Manulife Hong Kong customer website and app, for the status and results of any pre-approval application. Any pre-approval application submitted by a Manulife Hong Kong insured person is assessed solely by Manulife Hong Kong.
9 Outpatient consultation fees must be paid directly by the customer to the designated hospital. Booking an outpatient consultation does not mean that direct billing is available or that any subsequent treatment or medical expenses will be covered. Direct billing is subject to Manulife Hong Kong's pre-approval and confirmation, and coverage is subject to the relevant policy terms and conditions.
About Manulife Hong Kong and Macau
Manulife Hong Kong has been a trusted name for more than 125 years, while we have served the Macau market for three decades. Since our operations began in Asia in 1897, we have grown into one of the top-tier providers of financial services, offering a diverse range of protection and wealth products and services to over 2.6 million customers in Hong Kong and Macau. We are committed to helping make decisions easier and lives better for our customers.
Manulife Hong Kong and Macau, through Manulife International Holdings Limited, owns Manulife (International) Limited, Manulife Investment Management (Hong Kong) Limited, and Manulife Provident Funds Trust Company Limited. These entities are all subsidiaries of Manulife Financial Corporation.
About Manulife
Manulife Financial Corporation is a leading international financial services provider, headquartered in Toronto, Canada. Anchored in our ambition to be the number one choice for customers, we operate as Manulife across Canada and Asia, and primarily as John Hancock in the United States, providing financial advice, insurance and health solutions for individuals, groups and businesses. Through Manulife Wealth & Asset Management, we offer global investment solutions, financial advice, and retirement plan services to individuals, institutions, and retirement plan members worldwide. At the end of 2025, we had more than 37,000 employees, over 106,000 agents, and thousands of distribution partners, serving over 37 million customers with operations across 25 markets globally. We trade as ‘MFC’ on the Toronto, New York, and Philippine stock exchanges, and under ‘945’ on the Hong Kong stock exchange. Not all offerings are available in all jurisdictions. For additional information, please visit manulife.com.
About Ant Health
AHA Healthcare Technology HK Limited is the Hong Kong SAR entity of Ant Health, Ant Group's health business group. Ant Health began by providing online hospital appointment booking and payment services for patients in the Chinese Mainland. Today, more than 800 million users have linked their national medical insurance e-certificates to its platform. Ant Health has developed AFu, a leading AI health app that connects users to digital services from more than 5,000 hospitals and online consultations with 300,000 doctors across the Chinese Mainland. The AFu app has served over 150 million users cumulatively and handles 20 million health inquiries every day. Ant Health is committed to making healthcare simpler and lives healthier.
About AlipayHK
AlipayHK App offers a diverse range of lifestyle services, including electronic wallet (Stored Value Facility Licence number: SVF0004) and digital lifestyle services.
Currently, over 150,000 online and offline merchants support AlipayHK for payments, covering large chain stores, SMEs, convenience stores, supermarkets, markets and restaurants. It is also supported in Chinese Mainland, Japan, South Korea, Thailand, Singapore, and Malaysia. Beyond payments, the AlipayHK App collaborates with partners to provide services covering public transport, leisure and entertainment, wealth management, bill payments, loyalty programs, and the purchase of third-party financial products, and more.
For further information, please visit: https://www.alipayhk.com/
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