1.2 billion Chinese to have basic medical insurance by end of 2009 + –
August 05, 2009

By the end of 2009, over 1.2 billion Chinese citizens will enjoy basic medical insurance, said Hu Xiaoyi, deputy minister for the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Security on August 4.

In addition, an adjustment to basic pensions for workers retiring in 2009 has been implemented. The average monthly pension per retiree will reach 1,200 yuan, a monthly increase of 110 yuan per retiree.

Hu added that in the first half of 2009, 330 million urban employees and residents were covered by medical insurance and 830 million rural residents by new rural cooperative medical care programs.

All cities in China will launch basic medical insurance systems this year in a drive to increase the number of urban employees and residents covered by medical insurance to 390 million by the end of 2009.

Combined with the number of rural residents insured, a total of 1.2 billion Chinese citizens will enjoy basic medical insurance.

Meanwhile, medical insurance standards have also improved. The central government has issued regulations raising the maximum payout limit for medical insurance for urban employees and residents and the new rural cooperative medical care program on the basis of the existing proportion of claims. On average, the proportion of claims for inpatient medical spending should be 5 percentage points higher than that of last year.

By People’s Daily Online