Op-Ed Contributors

A different take on healthcare

By Wang Yiqing (China Daily)
Updated: 2010-07-08 08:03

The first thing the authorities should do is to end their stakes in the healthcare market and refrain from directly operating medical institutions. Their role should be to implement rules, ensure supervision, and exercise necessary control on medical resources during emergencies and natural disasters.

But that doesn't mean the healthcare system should be free of all market factors. Healthcare is different from other social securities and involves three participants: the government, citizens, and drugs and medical service providers.

The government is responsible for people's healthcare and should abide by the principles of equality and equity. "This part should never be marketized."

On the other hand, to guarantee quality medical service, the government should pay medicine and medical service providers strictly according to market rules.

"The problem doesn't lie in marketization but in the kind of market we have and the application of market rules."

Li says healthcare reform should comply with China's overall development guideline, that is, the government ensures equity while market promotes efficiency.

Although not optimistic about the new healthcare reform, Li urges the government to see the issue from the perspective of China's overall development goal, and suggests that it make experts as well as the public part of the policymaking process.

(China Daily 07/08/2010 page9)