China tells patients to go local to cut costs, improve access

[September 14, 2015]  SHANGHAI (Reuters) - China will push patients to seek medical treatment locally in a bid to overhaul a over-burdened healthcare system where wide gaps between urban and rural care often mean people travel hundreds of miles to seek help in cities.

The country is aiming that by 2017 all patients with serious illnesses will receive treatment within their own county, the State Council said in a statement laying out various ways to improve access and lower healthcare fees.

China's healthcare reform drive could reduce steep costs for its citizens, who often save up large "rainy day" funds in case a family member falls ill.

The drive is also a lure for investors and firms betting billions of dollars on China opening up a market set to be worth around $1.3 trillion by 2020.

"We are working hard to ensure that the people can get treatment where they are," the State Council statement said.

However, the government is facing big challenges in its drive to overhaul the unpopular healthcare system that is blighted by crowded hospitals, corruption and simmering tension between patients and staff.

The statement added that China would increase training and incentives for rural doctors, reduce public hospitals' reliance on drug sales and ensure that insurance schemes for serious illness should cover over 50 percent of patients' costs this year.

China previously laid out a five-year road map in March to help overhaul its healthcare system, including increasing the number of doctors and making better use of technology to improve efficiency.

(Reporting by Adam Jourdan; Editing by Kim Coghill)

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