CHINA RURAL SCHEMES
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Edition of 8/1/2008
1. Shandong: The NRCMI operated in all of its counties:
Shandong is one of 31 mainland provinces with a total population of 92 million (2005), of which 51 million or 55% of its population are rural residents according to China Statistical Year Book 2006. At the end of 2007, the NRCMI was set up in all 134 counties which have rural inhabitants. This implies a universal cover of NRCMI is only a matter of one more step to take in Shandong.
For more information, see
http://paper.people.com.cn/rmrb/html/2007-12/31/content_36220613.htm
2. Beijing: rural doctors covered under the retirement pension scheme:
To encourage rural doctors, most are rural residents, to participate in the retirement pension scheme, the Municipal Government decided to provide subsidies on contribution from January 2008. Once covered, rural doctors can expect a life-long monthly pension from age of 55 for woman and 60 for man, which is equal to 15 Chinese yuans per working year in the services.
No doubt this policy will have a number of positive implications, including that on the sound development of human resources in the rural health sector to ensure an adequate and quality health supply. Without that, effective health protection for all cannot be realized.
For more information, see
http://paper.people.com.cn/rmrb/html/2008-01/02/content_36569283.htm Edition of 18/12/2007
1. The scheme operated in 85.53% of rural counties:
At the end of September 2007, 2448 counties, accounting for 85.53% of the total, set up and run a NRCMI scheme in their territories, with 726 million people insured.
The amount of annual subsidy from the Central Government alone for 2007 rose to 11.4 billion yuans, which was 0.4 billion yuans for 2003, an increase of 2850% over last five years.
For more information, see
http://news.xinhuanet.com/politics/2007-12/17content_7264119.htm
1. 84.87% of the targeting people covered:
Minister Chen Zu of the MOH announced at a Press Conference held on 5 September 2007 in Beijing that 720 million persons or 82% of the targeting population had been covered at the end of June 2007.
Given that, the year for realizing the operational goal, i.e. achieving a universal cover, initially set for 2010, was advanced to 2008. Edition of 24/07/2007
1. Progress in the extension of coverage:
According to the Ministry of Health, the NRCMI has extended its coverage to 685 million rural people by the end of March 2007, accounting for 78.8% of the total rural population.
For more information, see
http://news.xinhuanet.comEdition of 1/2/2007
1. State subsidy and benefit expenditure
It is reported that since the launch of the NRCMI in 2003, the Government, all levels included, has contributed a total of RMB 18.9 billion yuans and more than 400 million reimbursements paid to insured rural inhabitants.
2. Preliminary assessment
A survey conducted jointly by the Beijing University, Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, Rural Economy Research Centre of the Ministry of Agriculture, and Statistic and Information Centre of the Ministry of Public Health, shows that of 19,195 rural households from 32 Counties in 17 Provinces who were interviewed, 57.6 percent of the insured families have received reimbursements related to out-patient treatment costs, and 14 percent related to in-patient treatment costs with an average of RMB 731 yuans, equal to 16% of the average annual net income (RMB 4536 yuans in 2006, estimate). Therefore, the NRCMI does improve access to health care and alleviate financial burden on the shoulder of the rural population.
For more information, see
http://news.xinhuanet.com/newcountryside/2007-02/01/content_5681228.htm
and
http://news3.xinhuanet.com/newcountryside/2007-01/24/content_5644918.htm
3. Improvement of the benefit package by the NRCMI of Qing Pu County
The NRCMI scheme of Qing Pu County in Shanghai with 170,000 insured rural residents has been continuously improving its benefit package: a special supplementary fund for selected catastrophic diseases was just been introduced. It implies that from 2007, a maximum annual benefit of RMB 500,000 yuans is payable to the insured in respect of medical treatment of uraemia, leukaemia and other cancers. Such a maximum is about 110 times the national average annual income of the rural workforce.
This makes its current structure of reimbursement more progressive: 55% for reimbursable cost less than RMB10,000 yuans; 60% for the cost between 10,001 and 20,000; 65% for 20,001 ? 30,000; 70% for 30,001 ? 40,000; 75% for 40,001 ? 50,000; and 80% for 50,001 and above. In addition, more favourable rates are applied to vulnerable groups, such as the elderly with small income, low-income households, the disable persons and those with serious disease. These measures improve the level of protection and reduce the incidence of falling again into poverty due to high medical cost.
For more information, see
http://news.xinhuanet.com/local/2007-01/14/content_5604486.htm
4. Active support from China Red Cross
Among numerous challenges facing the NRCMI, the following two are quite particular: a), How to include all those who are poor and cannot pay their share of contribution. It is estimated that in the pilot counties, although about 400 million rural people are covered, there are still about 100 million uninsured partially due to poverty. b), Some of the insured have fallen again into poverty due to the low level of benefit, the maximum of which, in majority cases, is set only at RMB20,000 yuans.
China Red Cross has assisted the NRCMI to address these issues by providing supplementary support, in addition to that from the Rural Medical Assistance System, to the poor and those in need. It is the Red Cross in Shandong Province that took the initiative first. Since 2004, it has mobilized a total of RMB50 million yuans, enabling 300,000 poor persons to participate in the scheme by paying required contributions for them that has raised the participation rate by 3-5 per cent, and providing additional benefits to 3000 insured patients with a large amount of medical bill.
From the country level, it is reported that China Red Cross is piloting this initiative in 30 counties of 20 provinces with a total of 330,000 beneficiaries. The expansion of the pilot is under the way.
For more information, see
http://news.xinhuanet.com/newcountryside/2007-02/01/content_5681511.htm Edition of 25/1/2007
1. Newly adjusted target
The National Working Conference on NRCMI was held from 22 to 23 January 2007 in Xian, Shanxi Province. A new objective is set up: to establish a NRCMI scheme in 80% of the rural counties by the end of 2007. This means one year faster than originally planned.Edition of 9/1/2007
1. Structure of the health system and its development
China is going to enhance its four main systems in the field of health, namely:
- The primary health system that will cover all urban and rural residents;
- The multi-pillared health protection system;
- The state basic pharmaceutical system; and
- The public hospital system.
This was announced by Minister Gao Qiang of the Public Health at the National Health Working Conference held on 8 January 2007 in Beijing. The strategic goal of these efforts is to achieve access to the primary health for all and further improve people's health.
Apparently, the NRCMI is an essential component of the second system and plays an important role in providing access to the basic health care for all rural population. As a consequence, the task of developing the NRCMI across the country still remains high on the Government's Agenda for 2007.
The State financing in the field of rural health is to be consequently enhanced with a total of more than 30 billion yuans allocated for the period of the 11th Five-Year Plan (2006-2010).
For more information, see
http://news.xinhuanet.com/politics/2007-01/09/content_5582297.htm
and
http://news.xinhuanet.com/fortune/2007-01/09/content_5583609.htm Edition of 8/12/2006
1. Progress in the extension of coverage
The number of the insured rural inhabitants has been increased to 396 million at the end of September 2006, accounting for more than 50% of the total rural population. It was about 179 millions nine months earlier. Add your comments
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