After more than 60 years of no job and therefore no
medical insurance or chance of a pension, 88-year-old Jianliu
Community resident Xie Wenying was overjoyed to learn she could
finally enjoy such benefits.
It's all thanks to a new government program aiming to
give all Shanghai senior citizens without "social insurance" more
protection.
From now on, elderly people like Xie will not need to
worry about how to make ends meet with a limited monthly allowance
or be a burden on their children.
The program was launched on Friday. It gives citizens
aged 70 or over, who have lived in the city for at least 30 years
and are not covered by the current social insurance system, a
monthly allowance of 460 yuan (US$57.5). It also means 50 to 70
percent of any medical costs are covered by the
government.
The authorities estimated the program would mainly
protect people like the bereaved spouses of former workers, retired
residents living on their spouses' allowances and the elderly who
do not have a job or insurance.
The program is of special significance as the ageing
population in Shanghai is growing. At the end of 2005, 2.7 million
one in five people in the metropolis were aged 60 or more, much
higher than the national average of 11 percent.
Xie quit her job to be a fulltime housewife in her
younger days. Many old people like her, with no employer, were not
included in the current pension and medical insurance scheme and
have to live on 290 yuan (US$36) issued by the government each
month to cover their basic costs.
The new scheme will help them deal with
ever-increasing medical costs.
"It's very stressful living alone and not being able
to afford my medical expenses," said Xie, who suffers from heart
problems and glaucoma. "But now I think I can live an easier
life."
So far it seems the policy has been warmly received.
In the past few days, people relying on walking sticks or confined
to wheelchairs have rushed to their street committees to find out
more details.
"This is treatment that (people without social
insurance) haven't been able to enjoy for decades," said Pan Yumei,
a director of the Middle Huaihai Road Subdistrict
Office.
The group's base is near Shanghai's trendy bar area
Xintiandi and governs 22 residential communities. It is estimated
that 1,500 of the 90,000 residents in the area will be able to
claim money under the new program.
"The policy will have a huge impact on the family and
all of society," said Pan. "It may help elderly people regain their
self-respect and enhance their social position."
The medical aspect to the program is of major
significance, as China's soaring medicine prices and hospital
charges have scared away many poor patients.
(China Daily September 4,
2006)
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