(chinadaily.com.cn)
Updated: 2007-07-23 16:07

The State Council announced plans for a pilot program on basic medical insurance for urban residents at a conference held today, as an effort to build a medicare system that covers all.

"Preparation for the program is near completion and guidelines have been sent to local governments," said Yi Chengji, spokesman for the Ministry of Labour and Social Security. "Relevant documents are to be laid down in the second half of this year."

Mainly based on payment by households and individuals, the system will focus on serious diseases for both inpatients and outpatients. For people who can't afford the insurance fee, the government will offer subsidy.

The basic medical insurance for urban residents, mostly targeted at people below the age of 18 or the unemployed not protected by the medical insurance for urban workers, supplements the new rural medical insurance and the medical insurance for urban workers. Together, they form a nationwide insurance network for all rural and urban residents.

China's medical insurance for urban workers has been in place since 1999, covering about 160 million people nationwide.