“Thanks to the policies, I could pay my hospitalization expenses and receive treatment. I’m getting better now,” said the 57-year-old Xia Yuzhong when sitting in the sun in his own yard on the morning of April 14.

Xia is one of those who have benefited from the health care policies of Chongqing. Living in Daxing Town of Bishan District, Xia was sent to Chongqing Bishan District People’s Hospital for treatment of coronary atherosclerotic heart disease at the end of last year.

“I spent half a month in the hospital then, which was a big expense for me,” said Xia.

Surprisingly, he only paid 5577.4 yuan, less than 10% of the total cost, owing to the assistance of severe diseases, the poverty alleviation fund reimbursement for medical expenses, the civil administration relief, etc.

“To prevent poverty caused by diseases, Chongqing has established multiple health care systems, including basic medical insurance, critical illness insurance, and commercial supplementary insurance, medical assistance and emergency assistance with diseases, as well as a medical fund for poverty alleviation and a medical health fund for poverty alleviation.” As Director of the Health Promotion Division of Chongqing Health Commission, Yuan Liwen said that based on the municipal medical security systems, all districts and counties have also set up bailout funds according to their own situation and eased the burden of medical expenses on registered poverty-stricken households in a variety of ways.

According to the data from Chongqing Health Commission, the city has initially achieved the goal of ensuring basic medical care since the implementation of its poverty alleviation project of health, with a total of 1,339,900 people benefiting from the multiple health care policies.

Yuan introduced that, at present, all the villages of poverty-stricken districts/counties have clinics and doctors, and the poor under the basic medical insurance could maximize its benefits. As of late February, the self-payment rate for hospitalization of the poor population in the city was 10.13%, and that for the outpatient services of chronic diseases and major and critical diseases was 12.52%. Clinics, doctors, and health care systems are all available for those people.

Chongqing also provides exclusive insurance, 100 yuan/person/day, for poor patients with COVID-19 in the city. During the outbreak, the city also arranges family doctors to carry out follow-up visits via telephone, WeChat, apps, and other channels, to guide the contracted poor to strengthen personal protection and household disinfection, and to provide door-to-door services for those with mobility problems.