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BIZCHINA / Top Biz News
Pilot program on universal medicare system launched
(chinadaily.com.cn)
Updated: 2007-07-23 16:07
The State Council announced plans for a pilot program on basic medical
insurance for urban residents at a conference held today, as an effort to
build a medicare system that covers all.
"Preparation for the program is near completion and guidelines have been
sent to local governments," said Yi Chengji, spokesman for the Ministry
of Labour and Social Security. "Relevant documents are to be laid down in
the second half of this year."
Mainly based on payment by households and individuals, the system will
focus on serious diseases for both inpatients and outpatients. For people
who can't afford the insurance fee, the government will offer subsidy.
The basic medical insurance for urban residents, mostly targeted at
people below the age of 18 or the unemployed not protected by the medical
insurance for urban workers, supplements the new rural medical insurance
and the medical insurance for urban workers. Together, they form a
nationwide insurance network for all rural and urban residents.
China's medical insurance for urban workers has been in place since 1999,
covering about 160 million people nationwide.
(For more biz stories, please visit Industry Updates)
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