More than 20 provincial regions are carrying out the payment program in local hospitals on a trial basis.

 

　　But the pay-after-treatment approach will not be adopted nationwide in the short term due to an immature social credit system and insufficient medical insurance.

 

　　Currently, citizens must pay first before receiving an operation or treatment.

 

　　They must pay their bills and then apply for a reimbursement covered by medical insurance, usually more than 70 percent of treatment fees.

 

　　Once the new system is implemented, after the treatment, patients will pay the amount that is not included in the medical insurance. The rest will be paid to hospitals by the government and the insurance companies.

 

　　Bloggers' opinion:

 

　　"Of course the new approach is good for the patients. But for the vulnerable group who cannot afford to pay the costs of medical treatment, paying after receiving treatment will not necessarily solve their problems. So, the government and the whole society should give them financial support, rather than shift the burden onto the hospitals."

 

　　"To me, 'Pay before treatment' and 'Pay after treatment' don't have too much difference. It's just a change in the payment approach. At best, it can save time for patients. Pay-after-treatment doesn't mean you don't have to pay it."