Beijing to cancel free medical service

Reimbursement of all medical expenses to people working in public institutes will no longer be available, as Beijing will adopt a new medical security system, starting January 1st, 2012, the Beijing News reports. According to the 12th 5-year-plan of Beijing's social security reform, released by the Beijing Ministry of Human Resources and Social Security on Thursday, nearly 220,000 people working at municipal organs, including institutes, hospitals and schools will be involved in the decision. Instead of receiving free medical service, they will be required to submit an annual premium to gain medical insurance, a similar system to that of company employees, who don't have free medical service. Jiang Jiyuan, director of the Medical Insurance Department at the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Security, says the plan marks an important step in Beijing's efforts to upgrade its medical insurance reform. "We have already begun distributing social security cards, and people need to take these with them when they go to the hospital. It's very convenient and offers more choice," Jiang says. The new reform act is expected to reduce the existing problems of over medication and over reimbursement.