Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao on early Saturday morning visited a
community medical service center to see how the basic medicare for
urban residents worked.
"It's weekend today. I plan to do a fieldwork research (about
medicare)," said the premier at the beginning of a symposium
attended by workers, officials and residents in a Beijing
residential area.
Wen's questions include how many people in the community could
enjoy medicare, whether residents could see doctors in the
community, whether doctors of big hospitals could help with
community medical services, and the piloting of the medicare system
for urban residents.
The capital initiated a mechanism of basic medicare. Under the
mechanism to promote community medical services in the city, large
hospitals must support community health centers with facilities and
manpower, and a "medical unity platform" for data-sharing was set
up.
Wen said that establishing medicare and community medical
services, a big part of the country's medical reform, was an
arduous task that needs participation of the public.
"The medical system, medicare and purchase and sale of drugs
should be planned as a whole," said the premier, adding different
regions can have different paths in line with the actual
conditions.
In a medicare service center, the premier asked whether
77-year-old Ma Yingjie, not covered by medicare yet, wanted to
joined the medicare against major illness.
"Sure. My nephew can help me submit the 300 yuan premium, and
the government will chip in another 1,100 yuan for me, with which I
don't need to worry about seeing doctors in the future," said Ma,
referring to the pilot medicare program for the elderly and
children which is being promoted across the country this year.
"We are doing it at the very beginning and must gradually
improve it," said the premier, adding the elderly and children
should enjoy special care of the society.
(Xinhua News Agency July 22, 2007)