By Wang Liejun & Zhang Jiahui, DRC

2017-02-14

Viewing from the global perspective, China has made remarkable progress in medical reform and is using its method to crack this hard nut of the world.

First, the government’s top-level design has been consummated. The 5th Plenary Session of the 18th CPC Central Committee proposed to implement the “Healthy China” strategy. The 2030 Guidelines for Healthy China has required to incorporate health care into various policies and The 13th Five-Year Plan for Deepening Medical Care System has made specific arrangements.

Second, medical reform has made headways in different fields. The national medical insurance system has been further fleshed out and the rate of participation for basic medical insurance stands at over 95%. The hierarchical diagnosis and treatment system has been vigorously advanced, and reform of public hospitals is expedited with mechanisms relating to pricing, payment and incentives all being straightened up. The government has made great efforts in the medicine production and circulation reform, established the national negotiation-based mechanism for medicine price formation, initiated across the board the two-invoice system for medicine production and regulated the market order for medicine circulation and distribution.

Third, medical services have become more affordable and accessible. The per capita medical care expenditure in national medical total has reached the minimum level in the past 20 years, and 84% households can receive medical aid within 15 minutes.

Fourth, there remain some problems to be addressed in the medical and health care sector. For instance, due to limited income, some people cannot afford the high cost for getting medical treatment. In addition, people’s demand for better medical services is growing.

Fifth, the government needs to resolve key problems and push forward reform. It needs to build up consensus, improve the top-level design, accelerate the implementation of relevant policy measures, and combine the central guidance with local pilot projects so as to stimulate local motivation for reform, and speed up reform in key sectors for better results.