World Bank2017-08-102017-08-102010-06https://hdl.handle.net/10986/27719Since the 2003 Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) outbreak, health care in China has become a leading national concern. Often highlighted by the popular phrase, kan-bing-nan, kan-bing-gui (seeking care is difficult and expensive), healthcare costs can be devastating. Prior to 2007, there were two formal insurance programs: the Urban Employee Basic Medical Insurance (UEBMI) for the urban employed population, and the New Rural Cooperative Medical Insurance (NRCMI) for rural residents. A third major group-urban resident without formal employment-was essentially left out of the state health security system. In July 2007, the State Council initiated a pilot experiment in 79 cities-the Urban Resident Basic Medical Insurance (URBMI). The plan targeted urban residents without formal employment, especially the elderly and children (State Council 2007). The present health policy note provides an updated review of healthcare settings and policy reforms, focusing primarily on urban health financing. It discusses urban insurance in the context of universal coverage and how to harmonize insurance schemes across urban and rural areas. This discussion is placed in the context of global experience and emerging principles of best practices.en-USCC BY 3.0 IGOACCESS TO HEALTH CAREACCESS TO HEALTH SERVICESACCESSIBILITYADMINISTRATIVE COSTADMINISTRATIVE COSTSADMINISTRATIVE OVERHEADADVERSE SELECTIONAGEDAGINGALTERNATIVE EMPLOYMENTBANKRUPTCYBASIC HEALTH SERVICESBENEFICIARIESBENEFIT PAYMENTSBUSINESS ENTERPRISESCAPACITY BUILDINGCAPITAL INVESTMENTCAPITAL STRUCTURESCAPITATIONCAPITATION PAYMENTSCITIESCOMMUNITY HEALTHCOST CONTROLCOST-EFFECTIVENESSCOST-SHARINGDEDUCTIBLEDEDUCTIBLESDELIVERY OF HEALTH SERVICESDELIVERY SYSTEMDELIVERY SYSTEMSDEMOGRAPHIC CHARACTERISTICSDENTAL CAREDIABETESDOCTORSECONOMIC COOPERATIONECONOMIC DEVELOPMENTECONOMIC GROWTHECONOMIC REFORMECONOMIC REFORMSECONOMIC SYSTEMEFFICIENCY OF PROVIDERSEMPLOYEEEMPLOYEREMPLOYER CONTRIBUTIONSEMPLOYERSEMPLOYMENTEMPLOYMENT STATUSENTRY BARRIERSEQUAL ACCESSEQUAL TREATMENTEQUITABLE ACCESSEQUITY IN ACCESSESSENTIAL DRUGSEXCHANGE RATEEXPANSION OF COVERAGEEXPENDITURESFAMILIESFEE SCHEDULEFEE SCHEDULESFEE-FOR-SERVICEFEE-FOR-SERVICE PAYMENTFINANCIAL BURDENFINANCIAL BURDENSFINANCIAL DIFFICULTIESFINANCIAL DIFFICULTYFINANCIAL HEALTHFINANCIAL PROTECTIONFINANCIAL RISKFINANCIAL RISKSFINANCIAL SECURITYFINANCIAL SUSTAINABILITYFISCAL SUBSIDIESFISCAL SUBSIDYGOVERNMENT POLICIESGOVERNMENT POLICYHEAD OF HOUSEHOLDHEALTH CAREHEALTH CARE COSTSHEALTH CARE EXPENDITUREHEALTH CARE EXPENDITURESHEALTH CARE INSTITUTIONSHEALTH CENTERSHEALTH CONDITIONSHEALTH COVERAGEHEALTH ECONOMICSHEALTH EXPENDITUREHEALTH EXPENDITURE PER CAPITAHEALTH EXPENDITURESHEALTH EXPENDITURES PER CAPITAHEALTH FINANCINGHEALTH INSURANCE SCHEMESHEALTH NEEDSHEALTH POLICYHEALTH PROFESSIONALSHEALTH PROVIDERSHEALTH REFORMHEALTH RESOURCESHEALTH SERVICEHEALTH SERVICE PROVIDERSHEALTH SERVICESHEALTH STATUSHEALTH SYSTEMHEALTH WORKERSHEALTHCARE EXPENDITUREHEALTHCARE EXPENDITURESHEALTHCARE INSTITUTIONSHEALTHCARE PROVIDERSHEALTHCARE SYSTEMHEALTHY DEVELOPMENTHORIZONTAL EQUITYHOSPITAL ADMISSIONHOSPITALSHUMAN RESOURCESILLNESSINCOME COUNTRIESINCOME GROUPSINDEMNITYINDUCED DEMANDINDUSTRIAL ENTERPRISESINFLATIONINFORMED CONSENTINPATIENT CAREINSURANCEINSURANCE AGENCIESINSURANCE AGENCYINSURANCE CLAIMSINSURANCE COVERAGEINSURANCE EXPENDITURESINSURANCE FUNDSINSURANCE PLANINSURANCE PLANSINSURANCE POLICIESINSURANCE POOLSINSURANCE PREMIUMSINSURANCE RATEINSURANCE SYSTEMINSURANCE SYSTEMSINTEGRATIONINTERNATIONAL BANKKEY CHALLENGELOW INCOMEMEDICAL COSTSMEDICAL INSURANCEMEDICAL INSURANCE COVERAGEMEDICAL INSURANCE ENROLLMENTMEDICAL SAVINGS ACCOUNTSMEDICAL SERVICESMEDICAL SYSTEMMEDICAL TECHNOLOGIESMEDICAL TECHNOLOGYMIGRANT WORKERSMIGRATIONMULTIPLE INSURERSNATIONAL HEALTHNATIONAL HEALTH INSURANCENATIONAL HEALTH SERVICESNUTRITIONOLDER PEOPLEOUTPATIENT SERVICESPATIENTPATIENTSPAYMENTS FOR HEALTH SERVICESPENSION FUNDPHARMACEUTICAL POLICIESPHARMACIESPHYSICIANPHYSICIANSPOCKET PAYMENTPOCKET PAYMENTSPOLICY DOCUMENTPRICE STRUCTUREPRIMARY CAREPRIVATE ENTERPRISESPRIVATE HEALTH INSURANCEPRIVATE HOSPITALSPRIVATE INSURANCEPROFITABILITYPROGRAMSPROVIDER PAYMENTPUBLIC FUNDSPUBLIC HEALTHPUBLIC HOSPITALPUBLIC HOSPITAL SYSTEMPURCHASING POWERREIMBURSEMENT RATESRISK OF DEFAULTRURAL ACCESSRURAL HEALTH CARESAFETY NETSSAVINGSSAVINGS ACCOUNTSICKNESS FUNDSSOCIAL HEALTH INSURANCESOCIAL INSURANCESOCIAL INSURANCE SYSTEMSOCIAL SECURITYSOCIAL WELFARESOURCES OF FUNDSSUBSIDIZATIONUNEQUAL ACCESSUNIONSURBAN AREASURBAN HEALTH CAREUSE OF HEALTH SERVICESVILLAGEVILLAGESWORKERSReportWorld Bank10.1596/27719