Chinese Call for Affordable Care as Medical Bills Rise Steeply

People in China have pointed to the case as an example of the country’s current healthcare situation: it’s very expensive to receive treatment, and a more affordable system is needed badly.
Chinese Call for Affordable Care as Medical Bills Rise Steeply
An injured person (front C) receives medical treatment in a hospital after a road accident which left 18 people dead and 14 injured, in Hengyang in China's central Hunan province on June 30, 2018. AFP/Getty Images
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A 67-year-old man surnamed Liu was treated for cardiovascular disease at a Chinese hospital, but a 61-day treatment cost him 1.04 million yuan ($150,000). People in China are pointing to the case as an example of the country’s current health care situation: It’s very expensive to receive treatment, and a more affordable system is needed badly.

“A hospital treatment receipt can destroy 95 percent of Chinese families. For 61 days of treatment for cardiovascular disease, it cost 1.04 million yuan,” said the man’s daughter, who posted the invoice and commented on her WeChat friend’s circle on Nov. 27. She said that her family had to borrow from relatives and friends to pay the bill, and was hard-pressed to pay back the loans.
Nicole Hao
Nicole Hao
Author
Nicole Hao is a Washington-based reporter focused on China-related topics. Before joining the Epoch Media Group in July 2009, she worked as a global product manager for a railway business in Paris, France.