The municipal labor and social security bureau would adopt a new
medical insurance scheme for migrant workers in Shenzhen, the
Daily Sunshine reported Tuesday.
The labor and social security bureau and the municipal public
health bureau have proposed three alternatives and are now seeking
public opinion. The proposals, released recently, include having
companies or factories pay 10 yuan (US$1.2) for a worker while the
worker pays five yuan for medical insurance each month. The other
two options include companies paying 15 yuan while workers pay five
yuan or companies paying 12 yuan and workers eight yuan.
The new policy, to be China's first, will make it easier for
migrant workers to seek medical treatment, which they normally find
too expensive.
The new medical insurance policy will cover all diseases for
migrant workers, including clinical treatment and
hospitalization.
A regulation became effective in July 2003, which stipulated
that migrant workers who paid 25 yuan each month would be covered
for serious illness, the report said. However, it did not cover
clinical treatment. Migrant workers also found 25 yuan a month too
expensive.
Figures from the municipal public health bureau show that no
migrant workers have medical insurance, which covers 1.65 million
people.
Instead, many go to illegal clinics when they are ill, because
they are relatively cheaper.
Buji Sub-district in Longgang District adopted another medical
insurance policy for migrant workers living in the area. Migrant
workers are encouraged to pay seven yuan each month to cover basic
medical treatment. However, officials with the labor and social
security bureau said this did not work well in the face of high
risks although it was affordable for migrant workers.
According to the policy, migrant workers covered by the Buji
Sub-district's insurance policy are eligible for a 5,000-yuan
allowance when receiving treatments for serious illness, compared
with the highest payout of 320,000 yuan for permanent
residents.
(Shenzhen Daily December 8, 2004)