Healthcare Reform Rolls on: What's Next?

At the 18th National Congress of the Communist Party of China (CPC) last November, China pledged to advance the nation’s medical insurance system to one that covers the entire population, as well as establish a mechanism to provide insurance and aid in treating critical illnesses. As the Third Plenary Session of the 18th CPC Central Committee opened this Saturday, people are expecting the meeting will charter the next stage for China’s healthcare reform.

Reform rolls forward

Since 2009, China has accelerated its reforms to make health care more accessible and affordable. By 2013, medical insurance covered 95 percent of the population, with 265 million people enrolled in the Basic Medical Insurance for Urban Employees (BMIUE), 271 million covered by the Basic Medical Insurance for Urban Residents (BMIUR) and 805 million enrolled in the New Rural Cooperative Medical Insurance Scheme (NRCMS).

As the Report of the 18th National Congress of the CPC pointed out, everyone should have access to basic medical and public health services. By 2015, the percentage of people covered by medical insurance will have increased by 3 percent.

Despite the universal coverage, public dissatisfaction with the health service is growing. We have seen a rising number of attacks on medical staff across China. According to figures from the Chinese Hospital Association, from 2008 to 2012, the number of incidents aimed at doctors and nurses per year increased from 20.6 to 27.3 on average in every hospital across China. Doctors and nurses are experiencing a crisis, and so is patient-doctor trust.