The municipal labor and social security bureau would adopt a new medical insurance scheme for migrant workers in Shenzhen, the Daily Sunshine reported Tuesday.

The labor and social security bureau and the municipal public health bureau have proposed three alternatives and are now seeking public opinion. The proposals, released recently, include having companies or factories pay 10 yuan (US$1.2) for a worker while the worker pays five yuan for medical insurance each month. The other two options include companies paying 15 yuan while workers pay five yuan or companies paying 12 yuan and workers eight yuan.

The new policy, to be China's first, will make it easier for migrant workers to seek medical treatment, which they normally find too expensive.

The new medical insurance policy will cover all diseases for migrant workers, including clinical treatment and hospitalization.

A regulation became effective in July 2003, which stipulated that migrant workers who paid 25 yuan each month would be covered for serious illness, the report said. However, it did not cover clinical treatment. Migrant workers also found 25 yuan a month too expensive.

Figures from the municipal public health bureau show that no migrant workers have medical insurance, which covers 1.65 million people.

Instead, many go to illegal clinics when they are ill, because they are relatively cheaper.

Buji Sub-district in Longgang District adopted another medical insurance policy for migrant workers living in the area. Migrant workers are encouraged to pay seven yuan each month to cover basic medical treatment. However, officials with the labor and social security bureau said this did not work well in the face of high risks although it was affordable for migrant workers.

According to the policy, migrant workers covered by the Buji Sub-district's insurance policy are eligible for a 5,000-yuan allowance when receiving treatments for serious illness, compared with the highest payout of 320,000 yuan for permanent residents.

(Shenzhen Daily December 8, 2004)