China

8 Universal Health Care System FAQs #6

Does China have Universal Health Care?
At the moment, no. Despite being a communist country, and a totalitarian state at that, they have not offered universal care since they abandoned their public system in the 1980s during a wave of Chinese privatization. Since then, the gap between the poor and the rich has widened and many of the poor no longer have access to health care. It is believed that only about 20% of the rural Chinese and 50% of the urban Chinese have access to health care. The situation has gotten worse as China deals with the global economic crisis.

What are China's plans for the future?
The Chinese government has promised to increase funding for the public health care system. By 2011, they believe that they will have basic health care extended to at least 90% of their population. Reforms will continue until 2020. China hope to have every citizen covered at the end of this decade of reform.

Why is China reforming their health care system?
The majority of the citizens in China have to pay their health care expenses out of pocket. Many families have seen their savings wiped out due to sudden, unexpected health care expenses. The Chinese government believes it is their responsibility to provide such social security programs to their citizenry. The Chinese believe that this will help their citizens feel more economically secure and might get them to spend more money and help with the economic situation.

What are some of the problems with health care in China?
Salaries for doctors and nurses are low compared to most of the world. There is no national body to set standards for competency, so the level of training for physicians can vary widely. Doctors often give up the work for higher paying jobs. Clinics and hospitals tend to stay crowded due to the near absence of primary care.

Sources (VOA News, MedHunters)

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