China passes new medical reform plan http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2009-01/21/content_10698501.htm
CCTV video http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7IpWy9_O4Ws Peace and best wishes. Xi On 21 ene, 18:45, "[email protected]" <[email protected]> wrote: > http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2008-10/14/content_10218424.htm > > BEIJING, Oct. 14 (Xinhua) -- China's long-awaited health care reform > plan, which aims at providing universal medical service to 1.3 billion > people, was released Tuesday for public debate. > > The country wants a health care system that covers all urban and > rural residents by 2020. According to the plan, that care should be > safe, effective, convenient and affordable. > > The plan breaks up the health care system in to four departments: > public health service, medical treatment, medical insurance and > medicine supply. > > Medical reform has been deliberated by authorities since 2006. > > Growing public criticism of soaring medical fees, lack of access > to affordable medical service, poor doctor-patient relationships and > low medical insurance coverage compelled China to launch the new round > of reforms. > > China once prided itself for a government sponsored "socialized > medicine" system, in which most Chinese, including urban and rural > residents, enjoyed low-priced medical service. > > However, when China began economic reforms in the early 1980s, the > system was dismantled to ease government burdens and changed to a > market-oriented health care system. > > Insufficient government funding resulted in deficits for public > health institutions, thus opening doors for hospitals to generate > their own revenue by raising fees and aggressively selling drugs. > > The reformed plan clarifies government's responsibility by saying > that it plays a dominant role in providing public health and basic > medical service. > > "Both central and local governments should increase health > funding. The percentage of government's input in total health > expenditure should be increased gradually so that the financial burden > of individuals can be reduced," the draft said. > > The plan listed public health, rural areas, city community health > services and basic medical insurance as four key areas for government > investment. > > The plan also promised to tighten government control over medical > fees in public hospitals and to set up a "basic medicine system" to > quell public complaints of rising drug costs. > > The basic medicine system includes a catalogue of necessary drugs > that would be produced and distributed under government control and > supervision. Its goal is to ensure accessibility to a range of basic > medicines and to prevent manufacturers and businesspeople from > circumventing existing price controls. > > The draft was formulated by a team of officials and experts from > 16 departments, including the Ministry of Health and the National > Development and Reform Commission. > > Bai Chong'en, one of the plan's authors, said the team has visited > more than 20 provinces, municipalities and autonomous regions over the > past two years. > > "It's fair to say that the research was quite comprehensive and > we've found where there are problems," said Tsinghua University > Professor Bai. > > He said the team also held many seminars on the key issues > including the establishment of a basic drug system, governmental > medical investment, medical insurance, drug pricing mechanisms andthe > development of private medical institutions. > > "There were few disputes on the development of the public health > sector and the bigger government responsibility. Debates focused on > whether government should invest more money into basic medical > insurance or into public medical service," Bai said. > > To have a more balanced view, the Chinese government entrusted > nine domestic and overseas organizations including the World Health > Organization to conduct independent research. Their opinions were > included in the draft. > > In early 2007, the National Development and Reform Commission > started a website, inviting public opinions on medical reform. The > commission received 1,500 suggestions and 600 letters in less than six > months. > > The draft will be open for public debate until Nov. 14. People can > visit the website:http://www.shs.ndrc.gov.cn/yg(Chinese) to leave > suggestions and comments. --~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~ You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "World-thread" group. To post to this group, send email to [email protected] To unsubscribe from this group, send email to [email protected] For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/world-thread?hl=en -~----------~----~----~----~------~----~------~--~---
