China's rural cooperative medical insurance, initiated in 2003
to offer farmers basic healthcare, has covered more than 80 percent
of the country's rural population, China's health minister Chen Zhu
said Wednesday.
"By June 30, about 720 million farmers have joined the scheme,
accounting for 82.83 percent of the total rural population," Chen
said at a press conference held by the Information Office of the
State Council.
Meanwhile, the rural medical cooperatives have expanded to 2,429
counties, county-level cities and city districts, covering
approximately 84.87 percent of the country's rural area, Chen
said.
"By 2008, we hope the rural cooperative medical insurance could
cover all the country's rural areas," Chen said.
The four-year old rural medical insurance is seen by many as a
way to help Chinese farmers out of the plight of risking accidents
and disease with virtually no medical insurance.
Under the scheme, a participant pays 10 yuan (US$1.3) a year,
while the state, provincial, municipal and county governments
supply another 40 yuan (US$5.2) to the fund.
When rural residents fall seriously ill, they will be able to
cover most hospital expenses from the pooled insurance. The rate of
reimbursement varies according to different kinds of illness and
the actual cost of medical expenses incurred.
(Xinhua News Agency September 5, 2007)