Health insurance systems in China: A brie­fing note

Overview

 After the SARs outbreak in early 2003, greater attention was paid to  health reform.  Some 30% of poor  households were reporting  health care costs  as a  main cause of their  poverty. The public became increasing vocal about  unaffordable health  care, impoverishment from  medical expenses, and inequalities across regions. Between 2003  and  2008, insurance reforms were implemented  to improve access and utilization, reduce costs, and provide higher risk protection, particularly  for rural populations,  primarily  to  redress inequalities between rural and urban areas. 

This report is part of a series, The World Health Report 2010 Background Papers, which were written to inform the process of developing the key messages of the World Health Report 2010: Health systems financing: The path to universal coverage.