Yesterday, Guangzhou started a public survey for improvement of the medical insurance system for urban residents. According to the draft of the new regulation released yesterday, the system will be expanded to cover all Guangzhou urban Hukou (residency certificate) holders, all farmer workers’ children who are studying in middle and primary schools in Guangzhou, all non-Guangdong students studying in universities in Guangzhou. The total population covered is expected to exceed 1.5 million.

According to the draft, the urban residents of Guangzhou, not covered by the vocational medical care system, can benefit from the system from birth to death. Illness, accidents, birth in line with the Family Planning Policy and certain chronic diseases are covered by the new system.

The low-income family members and the handicaps will be covered by the system and the government will set up special fund to pay for their insurance.

Editor: Yan