China’s healthcare system
Quick Facts:
I. Healthcare System
i. A 2005 initiative to overhaul the old socialist system of healthcare, called the New Rural Cooperative Medical Care System, is the new form of healthcare in China ii. Annual cost of system: 50 Yuan, or RMB, or ¥ (US$7)
i. ¥20 paid by central government ii. ¥20 paid by provincial government iii. ¥10 paid by patient iii. Tiered billing system:
i. In a small town, rural, 70-80% of bill is covered ii. In a county clinic, provincial, 60% of bill is covered iii. Specialist in modern city hospital, 30% of bill is covered

II. Culture of poverty:
i. Poverty rate has declined from 85% in 1981, to 13.1% in 2008 ii. New laws will mandate a nationwide minimum wage at 40% of average urban salaries, will be phased in by 2015 iii. In 2004, china experienced a large decrease in its poorest population
i. People with less than 668 RMB ($80.71) decreased by 10% ii. People with less than 925 RMB ($111.64) decreased by 11.4%

iv. Since introducing the market system, along with investment policies and migration policies, the inequality between inland rural areas and urban coastal regions has increased, resulting in poor villages that cannot afford urban standards and poor households that cannot afford basic services of the urban society.

III. Size of Welfare state:
i. In pre-1980’s reform china, the socialist state fulfilled the needs of society, from “cradle to grave”. Things like child care, education, job placement, housing, subsistence, health care, and