'One-stop' system facilitates treatment of chronic diseases

The healthcare security bureau of Hechi has been devoted to solving medical problems, such as issuing chronic disease cards and simplifying the procedures of applying for medical reimbursement, for impoverished people in recent years.

By comparing the data of the city's poverty alleviation information system, medical insurance reimbursement system, and hospitals' settlement systems, the bureau has identified the poverty-stricken households that met the conditions for chronic disease cards. To date, about 73,000 chronic disease cards have been issued to impoverished people that qualify.

Wei Yuehong, a poverty-stricken villager from Dahua town of Hechi's Dahua Yao autonomous county, has been suffering from coronary heart disease and high blood pressure for over six years.

The high costs for treating those diseases were a great burden for him. "My doctor asked me to go to the hospital every month, which costs hundreds of yuan at a time. I could not afford it, so I would go to the hospital every three or four months," said Wei.

However, with the chronic disease card, the burden of medical expenses on Wei has been greatly reduced.

Wei's outpatient expense statement in August showed that his total expenses were 3,172 yuan ($452.66), more than 80 percent of which was reimbursed by medical insurance or governmental subsidy.

In addition, the procedures of applying for medical reimbursement in Hechi were also simplified.

According to Huang Chunhu, deputy director of the city's healthcare security bureau, registered impoverished patients only need to pay their own part of expenses, while the rest will be settled in the "one-stop" system, making it more convenient for people to see a doctor.

Wei Ruilan from Jingshan village of Dahua town said, "it used to take over half a month for my reimbursement of medical expenses, with materials needed, such as my residence booklet, identity card, bank book, bills, and drug lists."

However, it just now takes minutes, requiring only the patient's identity cards and social security cards. "It is very convenient now for poor people to apply for reimbursement," added Wei.

According to statistics from the healthcare security bureau of Hechi, 79,781 impoverished people applied for their reimbursement in the city in the first three quarters of this year, with the total amount of reimbursement reaching 400.59 million yuan, accounting for 90.87 percent of the total expenses.

The reimbursement rate for the 29 special chronic diseases in Hechi from January to September was 80.9 percent.