Basic healthcare insurance is to be provided to primary and
high-school students, senior citizens and the unemployed in 79
cities on a trial basis. A document released by the State Council
on Wednesday said the system will cover all cities by 2010.
This is one of the steps the central government has taken to
extend to all its citizens the benefits of the country's economic
development. The subsidies, from both local and central
governments, will be at least 40 yuan (US$5.30) per person per
year.
When combined with the healthcare insurance provided to workers
in urban areas and the new rural cooperative healthcare system for
villagers, the new scheme is expected to complete the healthcare
security net that will hopefully cover all residents nationwide in
the near future.
It is, of course, the duty of the government to relieve the
burden of people's medical bills when the rapid increase in its
revenue from taxes makes it possible for it to do so.
But we can't expect the net will be established overnight. It is
first carried out in some cities on a trial basis because we need a
gradual process to find out the problems and prepare to roll it out
to all in need of it.
Also, a sound mechanism needs to be established to manage the
security fund.
The misappropriation and embezzlement of social security funds
in the past should serve as a warning that a sound management
system and supervision mechanism are as essential as the fund
itself.
With this health insurance, we have reason to believe there will
not be so many sensational incidents involving hospitals refusing
to save the life of a dying patient simply because he or she cannot
pay the deposit, as that will be covered by the insurance.
Nevertheless, this subsidy won't solve the problem of high
medical bills. Bills can be as high as several hundred yuan for the
treatment of a common cold, which will not be covered by the
insurance system.
So a reform of the medical care system needs to be carried out
simultaneously to allow hospitals to provide good service at a
reasonable price. Then medical bills will cease to be a burden on
ordinary people.
(China Daily July 27, 2007)