A Study On Equalization Of Basic Medical And Health Service Between Urban And Rural Areas In China

The right of health is the basis of other rights, everyone can enjoy this right, nomatter how differences between in race, gender, age, social status and economic level.Nowadays the number of medical institutions, the number of medical beds and medicaltechnicians has a significant increase. The medical skill has been significantly improved.Hospital management and operating efficiency is also greatly improved. However, theexcessive marketization lead to high medical costs, many poor people unable to meettheir own health needs because of their low-income. The unfair basic medical and healthservices hinder the social development.In2009, the government pointed out that it is necessary to provide the basic healthcare system as public goods to all the people, and make sure everyone can enjoy thebasic health services. The equalization of basic medical and health services betweenurban and rural could ease the problem of “difficulty and expensive in seeing a doctor”.Besides, it could also improve local economic development and build a harmonioussociety.In recently, the study on equalization of basic medical and health services betweenurban and rural areas in China has not formed a mature system yet. It is necessary toclear its connotation, evaluation indicators and how to achieve this goal. This paperintroduce the connotation of equalization of basic medical and health services betweenurban and rural areas, and build the evaluation indicators after considering the basicnational conditions. This paper also profile the status quo on equalization of basicmedical and health services between urban and rural areas and make some policyrecommendations.There are five chapters in this paper.Chapter1describes the research backgroundand significance, research status, research methods and so on. Chapter2analysis sometheory of equalization of basic medical and health services between urban and ruralareas. Firstly, this part elaborate some theory, such as public goods theory, welfareeconomics theory and health equity theory,which are the basis of researchingequalization of basic medical and health services between urban and rural areas.Secondly, this part introduces its connotation. Basic medical and health services shouldmeet to the country’s economic development level and medical technical level, andguarantee the citizens’ basic right of health, including public health services, basichealth services and basic medical insurance services. It should have the basic facilities, basic human resources, basic technology, basic drugs, basic services specification andthe basic medical insurance. Government is mainly responsible for providing the basicmedical and health services. Thirdly, this part constructs the evaluation index systemfrom the perspective of inputs, outputs and benefit. Chapter3profiles the status quo onequalization of basic medical and health services between urban and rural areas.Nowadays, there are many problems, such as inequality healthy level between urbanand rural areas, unbalance on the allocation of health resources, unfair health financing,inequality on health services utilization and so on. The existence of these problems isdue to the existence of the urban-rural dual structure, market failure, absence ofGovernment, the financial system is imperfect and medical service system is not perfect.Chapter4makes some reference on the basis of summarizing the experience in urbanand rural health care system in foreign countries. Chapter5makes some policyrecommendations. Getting rid of the urban-rural dual structure, clearing theresponsibility of government, improving the public finance system, integrating urbanand rural medical insurance, establishing and improving medical service system couldpromote the equalization of basic medical and health services between urban and ruralareas.