China's medical insurance cover to be widened

 23-Jul-15, China Daily 

Medical insurance covering expenses for critical illnesses is to be expanded to include the whole country before the end of this year to help financially challenged residents.

Image: Chinese Embassy

The State Council, China's Cabinet, made the announcement after Wednesday's executive meeting.

After years of pilot programs at provincial level, a nationwide funding safety net will be put in place to help low-income residents in urban and rural areas who contract serious illnesses such as cancer.

Funds for major-illness insurance will come from urban residents' basic medical insurance and the new rural cooperative medical system. At least 50 percent of expenses that patients previously had to pay themselves will be reimbursed by the new insurance, and "such a proportion will be gradually increased" to effectively reduce the burden on such patients, according to the State Council.

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