China's achievements and challenges in improving health insurance coverage

China has undertaken waves of healthcare reforms to keep pace with its rapid economic growth. By 2011, universal health insurance coverage was successfully achieved through the creation of a basic social medical insurance system. Growing economic power, extensive government subsidies, and strategies...

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Published inDrug Discoveries & Therapeutics Vol. 12; no. 1; pp. 1 - 6
Main Authors Zhao, Cuirong, Wang, Chao, Shen, Chengwu, Wang, Qian
Format Journal Article
LanguageEnglish
Published Japan International Research and Cooperation Association for Bio & Socio-Sciences Advancement 2018
Subjects
China
Financing, Government
Health Care Reform - legislation & jurisprudence
Health insurance
Healthcare Disparities
healthcare reform
Humans
Referral and Consultation
Taiwan
universal coverage
Universal Health Insurance - legislation & jurisprudence
China
Taiwan
Health insurance
healthcare reform
universal coverage
China
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Summary:China has undertaken waves of healthcare reforms to keep pace with its rapid economic growth. By 2011, universal health insurance coverage was successfully achieved through the creation of a basic social medical insurance system. Growing economic power, extensive government subsidies, and strategies for program implementation are critical to that achievement. However, the breadth and depth of coverage varies considerably across insurance schemes and localities. The disjointed insurance scheme led to inequality in coverage, accessibility, and affordability of medical services, lopsided allocation of health resources, and increasing medical expenditures, and these remain crucial challenges for healthcare insurance coverage. This paper describes societal conditions, polices, achievements and challenges in improving health insurance coverage in China. Thailand's experience in universal health insurance coverage and its implications for China's new medical reform are also discussed. Solutions including sustainable increases in government investment, transformation of payment methods, reinforcement of primary health care delivery and the referral system, and standardization of benefits packages are strongly recommended to address challenges in China's long-running medical reform.
Bibliography:ObjectType-Article-1
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ObjectType-Feature-2
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ISSN:1881-7831
1881-784X
DOI:10.5582/ddt.2017.01064