Businesses ready for health plan



China to set up essential medicine system to curb rising drug prices

China to build 2,000 county-level hospitals

China steps up reforms to improve health care for urban, rural residents

China to tackle rural medical staff shortages under 2009-2011 plan

Premier Wen: China's health care reform aims at public interest

Chinese Premier Wen said that China will strive to improve the country's health care system to make health care more accessible and affordable.

Chinese gov't capable to guarantee investment for health care reform

China will reinforce its primary health care system through investing more on infrastructure, staff training, and subsidy for service providers to push forward the newly-launched health care reform, an official said in Beijing Wednesday.

China's health care reform focuses on public service

For Chinese people, "where there's sickness there's treatment" has been a dream for a long time. Recently, a new health care reform plan will finally be implemented and will bring China's health care system to a new level.

Health care reform aims at public interests

Innovative ideas employed to make the health care system accessible and affordable to both urban and rural residents.

Medicare Reform is long overdue

I have enormous gratitude to the Hu-Wen administration for the vision and courage to bring free, or more accurately, inexpensive or affordable health care to 800 million rural residents, who have long been neglected, or seldom on radar screen of policy-makers.

Health care reform could be prescription for employment

The reforms could also bring comfort to migrant workers and college graduates.

Experts: health reform to boost economy

Healthcare reform will counter the financial crisis by pumping money into local businesses and boosting consumption, experts say.

Roadmap of China's health care reform must lead back to basics

"I hope the new healthcare reform allows me to enjoy more affordable medical services in my county,"

China's health-care reform plan hailed as encouraging, right decision

It can be foreseen that the new medical reform will benefit hundreds of millions of people, and "where there's sickness there's treatment" will not be a dream anymore.

WHO chief says China's health care reform "in line with WHO principles"

China's planned health sector reforms are in line with principles of the World Health Organization (WHO) to provide equal access to universal health-care, WHO head Margaret Chan said.

Road map charted for universal healthcare

A master plan for healthcare over the next decade was unveiled Monday, the first step in a highly anticipated reform of the medical system that aims to provide fair and affordable services for all citizens.

How a village doctor sees China's health care reforms

"Now the government dispatches basic drugs to village clinics and villagers can get them at almost cost prices. An increasing number of villagers are now willing to turn to village clinics for help if they are suffering from minor illnesses,"

Basic medical insurance system covering both urban and rural residents

To enhance the basic medical and health service accessibility and level

To reduce the cost of medicare significantly

To attain fair and affordable medical services significantly alleviate

• The government to enhance the management and supervision of the operation of medical institutions, the planning of health service development, and the basic medical insurance system.

• Public hospitals to receive more government funding and be allowed to charge higher fees for treatment. But they will be eventually banned from making profits through subscribing expensive medicines and treatment, which is a common practice at present.

• Central and local governments to increase investment in the public health sector, grassroots-level clinics, subsidies for public hospitals, and basic medical insurance systems.

• Governments to increasingly regulate the pricing systems of medical services and medicines, with particular control on the price of basic services at non-profit hospitals and essential medicines those hospitals use.

•Supervision of medical institutions, health insurance providers, and pharmaceutical companies and retailers to be strengthened. Governments will also tighten monitoring of drinking water and food safety, and safety in workplace.

The State Council announced earlier this year an investment plan of 850 billion yuan (124 billion U.S. dollars) for the reform in three years

The ratio of those covered by the basic medical insurance is expected to surpass 90 percent by 2011

The authorities have also pledged to build 2,000 county hospitals and 5,000 township clinics in rural areas in the next three years

Subsidies provided by fiscal authorities at various levels will be increased to 120 yuan per person in 2010

The ratio of those covered by the basic medical insurance is expected to pass 90 percent by 2011

It said 3,700 community health centers and 11,000 community health stations would be set up or upgraded in cities

In the next three years, China will train 1.37 million village doctors and 160,000 community doctors

Regular exams for those older than 65 or younger than three, and pre-natal check-ups

China will increase investment in the public health service at a standard of 15 yuan per person a year in 2009, and 20 yuan by 2011. This translates to a huge investment of between 19.5 billion yuan and 26 billion yuan each year

The central government will fund the construction of 29,000 township hospitals this year and upgrading of 5,000 township hospitals

3,700 community health centers and 11,000 community health stations would be set up or upgraded in cities