China promotes health care reform

China's Ministry of Health has published its timetable and road map for medical and health care reform this year.

The reform aims to increase reimbursement for rural patients by 5 percent based on the standards of last year. The average subsidy for the rural patients would be raised up to 340 yuan. And the health authorities will launch insurance coverage for 20 serious diseases.

The reforms call for the establishment of a supply system for commonly-used drugs. All community-level medical and health care institutions must be able to offer these drugs.