Shenzhen issues kids’ medical insurance cards

    SIX children received their medical insurance cards at the Shenzhen Children’s Hospital in Futian District yesterday.

    One of the children, Chen Jiangnan, 9, a Grade 3 student at the Affiliated Primary School of Beijing Normal University in Nanshan District, was taken to hospital 14 days ago when he was diagnosed with an acute throat infection.

    “The card has been sent to my son at the right time when he is about to be discharged from the hospital today,” said Chen’s mother.

    “More than 1,900 yuan (US$250) of my son’s medical fees can be covered because he joined the city’s new medical insurance scheme for children in September,” she said.

    Yuan Jianyong, director general of the Shenzhen Social Security Fund Management Bureau, went to the hospital to deliver the card to Chen.

    A total of 452 students at Shenzhen Senior High School in Futian District also received their medical insurance cards at a ceremony yesterday.

    Statistics from the city’s social security fund management bureau show that by Dec. 20, a total of 334,000 young Shenzhen residents had joined the city’s social insurance scheme for children.

    The government-run scheme applies to all residents under 18 holding Shenzhen hukou, and migrant children who have at least one parent covered by the city’s medical insurance scheme for adults for at least one year as well as the children of expatriates who have joined the city’s medical insurance scheme.

    The city government pays 75 yuan of the 225-yuan annual premium for each insured child, while the child’s parents pay 150 yuan. Impoverished families with hukou will be exempt from paying the premium.

    Each child will receive up to 200,000 yuan a year in insurance cover to pay for treatment in case of a major illness. The insurance will not cover treatment costs under 300 yuan.

    By Dec. 20, a total of 2,015 insured children had had a total of 3.79 million yuan of their medical fees covered.

    All the insured children will receive their medical insurance cards in the next three months beginning from yesterday.