Lies, damned lies and statistics.
Our total pilot salary bill has gone up since 2000 but the cost per flying hour has gone significantly down. WHich statistic do you want to quote? Of course we now have 50% more pilots but on average they earn less, thanks to the ever decreasing ratio of A scalers, and we all do approx 20%+ more hours now than back then.
So medical costs go up because prices increase AND staff numbers go up. A GP panel doctor here in HKG gets less money than a GP does in Australia. Lauren Bramley has had to resign from the panel due to inadequate compensation. I am sure CX still 'spins' to new joiner pilots that you get 100% coverage - just as long as you can find a Dr willing to take $270HK for seeing you. Specialists in HKG have two lists....one for those that are in a real medical scheme, like BUPA, and one for CX. The latter group usually get appointments way off in the future. Of course this is completely opaque as it is not allowed but ask any Dr friends you might have.
Lastly, I see that the limits for dependant operations have gone up. I have been talking to some medico friends who suggest that typical operating costs have gone up over 100% since the policy was introduced...CX limits just went up about 16%.
Who was it that quoted it was death by the nibbling of a thousand ducks;-/