For hundreds of millions of migrant workers like the Liao family, applying for medical insurance premiums has been a tall order. A nation-wide survey done by the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Security in 2011, shows that there are more than 200 million migrant workers in China.

But out of that huge number, only about a fifth, or around 40 million are eligible for the health insurance premium. The uncovered workers are currently in a grey area, where medical insurance laws only provide medical insurance to those who are employed or who have retired.