Author Bowtie Team
Updated on 2025-06-11
Disclaimer: This article is translated with the assistance of AI.
In the hustle of city life, irregular meals often lead to digestive woes. Your stomach and colon, part of the upper and lower digestive tracts, need endoscopy exams like colonoscopy and gastroscopy for a complete health scan. But with costs mounting, securing Bowtie VHIS claims and BowtieCash for full coverage is a game-changer!
What’s the Difference Between Colonoscopy and Gastroscopy? Who Needs It?
| Colonoscopy | Gastroscopy | |
| Tool | A flexible tube with a camera that enters through the anus to examine the large intestine | A flexible, camera-equipped tube inserted through the mouth to observe the stomach |
These two procedures can detect abnormalities in the intestines and stomach, such as inflammation, ulcers, polyps, and cancer cells. Plus, they can also perform other treatments, like removing polyps or taking tissue samples for pathology testing.
If you’ve experienced or are dealing with any of the following on a long-term basis, consider getting a colonoscopy or gastroscopy based on your doctor’s referral or advice:
- Unexplained weight loss or anemia
- Abdominal discomfort, pain, or bloating
- Frequent indigestion, acid reflux , or difficulty swallowing
- Stomach bleeding
- Black stools (indicating possible bleeding in the stomach), blood in stools, or mucus
- Persistent urge to have a bowel movement even after going
- Unstable bowel habits, like alternating between constipation and diarrhea
- Ongoing diarrhea
How Much Does a Colonoscopy and Gastroscopy Cost? Can I Fully Claim?
We’ve compared the fees at various private hospitals and endoscopy centers, and gastroscopy can range from HK$5,000 to over HK$10,000, while colonoscopy can go from HK$8,000 to over HK$20,000. That means doing both could cost up to HK$30,000! And if you need extras like polyp removal or tissue analysis, costs can climb even higher, so claiming on insurance can save you a bundle.
Insurance policies vary widely, and you might think an endoscopy at a day center is always covered, but it’s not guaranteed. If your policy excludes outpatient procedures, you could be out of luck on the claim (check the details in the source material for more info).
Does Bowtie VHIS Cover Colonoscopy / Gastroscopy Costs?
The Bowtie VHIS plan can cover colonoscopy / gastroscopy costs.
Colonoscopy / gastroscopy is considered a minor surgery. If the insured undergoes it on a doctor’s recommendation, the procedure can be compensated, whether it’s inpatient or day surgery.
However, note that if the related colonoscopy / gastroscopy is for preventive treatment or care—such as general health checks, regular tests, or screening procedures without symptoms—it is not covered under the Bowtie VHIS plan.
What is BowtieCash?
BowtieCash is an additional reward for Bowtie VHIS policyholders to pay for reasonable medical expenses, which can be used to cover the remaining medical costs after claims from the Bowtie VHIS plan.
This program is governed by the BowtieCash Promotion Campaign terms.
We’ve designed 2 case studies, using the prices from the Eileen High-Definition Endoscopy Centre for endoscopy examinations, and assuming there’s HK$2000 in BowtieCash in the policy, to show you how Bowtie customers can claim the full examination costs without paying a single cent.
2 Case Studies for Colonoscopy and Gastroscopy Claims
Only Abnormal Cells Found in the Intestines
Case 3: Ms. Lee underwent an endoscopy at the Eileen High-Definition Endoscopy Centre (Mong Kok) , where everything in the stomach was normal, but 3 polyps (with fees the same for 1-3) were found in the intestines, requiring removal surgery. To prevent bleeding after polyp removal, the doctor used additional medical tools, like a snare, resulting in a HK$700 charge*, which the Bowtie VHIS plan considers as “miscellaneous” and fully compensates. With BowtieCash, Ms. Lee gets full reimbursement.
| Item | Price | Bowtie VHIS Standard Coverage | Bowtie VHIS Flexi Regular Coverage |
| Colonoscopy Costs | |||
| Surgeon’s Operation Fee | HK$6300* | HK$5000 | HK$6000 |
| Operating Room Fee | HK$2100* | HK$1750 | HK$2100 (Fully covered!) |
| Pathology Analysis | HK$1520* | HK$2220 (Considered as “miscellaneous” and fully covered) | HK$2220 (Considered as “miscellaneous” and fully covered) |
| Snare | HK$700* | ||
| Gastroscopy Costs | |||
| Surgeon’s Operation Fee | HK$4500* | HK$4500 (Fully covered!) | HK$4500 (Fully covered!) |
| Operating Room Fee | HK$1620* | HK$1575 | HK$1620 (Fully covered!) |
| Additional Medical Coverage | / | This plan does not provide additional medical coverage | HK$240 |
| Total | $16740* | HK$15045 | HK$16680 |
| Difference | / | HK$1695 | HK$60 |
| BowtieCash | / | $1695 | $60 |
| Actual Amount Paid | / | HK$0 | HK$0 |
- # The prices in the table are exclusive outpatient fees for Bowtie customers.
- # The above fees include intravenous sedative injection fees, photo report with photos, doctor’s fees, operating room fees, equipment fees, laxatives, pre-surgery doctor’s consultation fees, and gastric endoscopy Helicobacter pylori testing.
Abnormal Cells Found in Stomach and Intestines
Case Four: Ms. Li underwent Alan High-Definition Gastroscopy Center (Mong Kok) an endoscopy examination, where several polyps were found in both the intestines and stomach (1-3 polyps, same fee), requiring removal surgery involving pathology analysis. To prevent bleeding after polyp removal, the doctor used additional medical tools, resulting in an extra HK$2700 charge^, but the Bowtie VHIS will cover this as ‘miscellaneous items’ in full. With BowtieCash, Ms. Li receives full reimbursement.
| Item | Price | Bowtie VHIS Standard Coverage Provided | Bowtie VHIS Flexi Regular Coverage Provided | |
| Colonoscopy Fees | ||||
| Surgeon’s Operation Fee | HK$6300^ | HK$5000 | $6000 | |
| Operating Room Fee | HK$2100^ | HK$1750 | $2100 (Fully covered!) | |
| Pathology Analysis | HK$1520^ | $2220 (Treated as ‘miscellaneous’ coverage) | $2220 (Treated as ‘miscellaneous’ coverage) (Fully covered!) | |
| Snare (Electrosurgical Tool) | HK$700^ | |||
| Gastroscopy Fees | ||||
| Surgeon’s Operation Fee | HK$4500^ | HK$4500 (Fully covered!) | HK$4500 (Fully covered!) | |
| Operating Room Fee | HK$1620^ | HK$1575 | HK$1620 (Fully covered!) | |
| Pathology Analysis | HK$900^ | HK$900 (Fully covered!) | HK$900 (Fully covered!) | |
| Additional Medical Coverage | / | This plan does not provide additional medical coverage | HK$240 | |
| Total Amount | HK$17640^ | HK$15945 | HK$17340 | |
| Difference | / | HK$1695 | HK$60 | |
| BowtieCash | / | $1695 | $60 | |
| Actual Amount Paid | / | HK$0 | HK$0 | |
- ^ The prices in the table are for outpatient services exclusive to Bowtie customers.
- ^ The above fees all include intravenous sedation fees, biopsy forceps, photo reports with photos, doctor’s charges, operating room fees, laboratory fees, equipment fees, laxatives, pre-operative doctor’s consultation fees, and gastric endoscopy Helicobacter pylori testing.
The above cases are for reference only; actual medical costs will depend on the doctor’s recommendations and decisions based on the patient’s physical condition.
Sources
- 1 GoBear
Related Articles
Other Topics
Blood HealthBowtie StoryBusinessCancerChinese MedicineCovidCustomer ReviewDeathcareDental HealthDigestive HealthDoctor SpecialistsDrugsEar, nose, and throatEndocrinology & DiabetesExercisingEye HealthFinanceFood & NutritionGroup Medical InsuranceHealthHealth GlossaryHeart HealthHospitalsHot TopicsImmigrationInsuranceKidney HealthKids HealthlearnLiver DiseaseLung & RespiratoryMedical Check UpsMen’s HealthMental HealthNervous SystemOrthopedicsOutpatient ServicesParentingPhysiotherapyPress ReleasePrevention/VaccinationRealtyRheumatic DiseaseSeniors HealthSkin IssueSymptomsTreatment PlanUrologyWomen’s Health