Medical insurance backs poverty alleviation in Xifeng

Xifeng county has made great efforts to promote medical assistance in rural areas, according to local officials.

Since September 2015, the county in Guiyang, capital of southwestern Guizhou province, has started to improve its health care services for impoverished people in rural areas.

Officials said that after more than four years, the healthcare system has gradually improved since three different medical insurance and aid policies were implemented.

The medical insurance policies -- which include basic medical insurance, serious illness insurance and medical assistance -- have eased the burden for the poor, they added.

Thanks to the implementation of the medical insurance, a number of people don't struggle with financial difficulties any more due to ill health.

From January to October 2019, a total of 140 million yuan ($19.92 million) in reimbursements covering 532,737 patients in the county were paid through the basic medical insurance system.

Of that, a total of 1,674 poor people had their medical fees reimbursed due to chronic diseases or illnesses, either in outpatient service settlements or with discharge procedures.

Their reimbursed medical fees came in at 7.24 million yuan out of their total bill of 8 million yuan in medical fees.