Medical care reform: making it easier to see a doctor

In October this year, the long-awaited health care reform plan was released for public debate. A main target is to set up a health care system that covers all urban and rural residents by 2020. Breaking with the market-oriented reform over the past 20 years, the new plan defines government's responsibility by saying that it plays a dominant role in providing public health and basic medical service.

"Both central and local governments should increase health funding. The percentage of government's input in total health expenditure should be increased gradually so that the financial burden of individuals can be reduced," the draft says.

The plan also promises to tighten government control over medical fees in public hospitals and to set up a "basic medicine system" to quell public complaints about rising drug costs.

Different from the past when the policy was solely made by the authorities, the central government entrusted nine domestic and overseas organizations to conduct independent research, including the World Health Organization and Mckinsey Company, whose ideas were incorporated into the draft.

In just one month, the draft received 35,000 pieces of advice. But it once again aroused heated debate. An online survey by Sohu, a major portal site, finds that as many as 87.83 percent of pollster were unsatisfied or could hardly understand the 10,000-word document, a compromised product of experts and officials involving 16 departments.