China Announces New Health Care Reform Effort
by Fred Fortin
China’s Health Ministry has announced the “China 2020″ program that promises to “provide a universal national health service and promote equal access to public services,” according to a BBC News report. The program is intended “to reform the health system and provide a national service for all citizens, including the rural population.” According to the BBC, commentators see in this announcement a move towards a British NHS model of health care.
In a Reuters report quoting China’s Health Minister, Chen Zhu,
“Public medical and health agencies’ operating mechanisms are not adapted to the needs of the public, the improvement of health personnel’s ability is still weak and the development of the health insurance system is lagging.”
Chen said last week that market forces must not come to dominate China’s health service, as they lead only to inequality and cause the vast and poor countryside to be ignored.
So the question of the day, given these pronouncements, is what will be the emerging role of private health insurance in China? There is no way that private health insurance could ever dominate health care in China. But how big is that window of opportunity going to be? Private health insurers can bring a lot to the health care table that would be of value to China. Let’s hope they continue to have a seat as the country’s health reform effort moves forward.
