Background: In 2003, the Chinese government launched the New Cooperative Medical System (NCMS) to improve rural residents’ access to health care services and protect population from financial impoverishment due to medical outlays. Systematic reviews on the effectiveness of the NCMS on equity that are both recent and national in scope have been limited. Objectives: To provide an up-to-date overview of the effects of NCMS on health care utilization, financial burden of rural residents, paying particular attention to differences between low and high income recipients of care. Methods: PubMed and WanfangData electronic database were searched to identify literature published between January 1, 2003 and May 1st, 2013. Relevant data were extracted for each included articles. 25 studies out of the 385 studies were included. Results: NCMS has substantially improved utilization of preventive and inpatient health care, but the degree of financial protection is limited. Poor people have less benefit than wealthy individuals from NCMS in terms of health service utilization and financial protection. Conclusion: Although some pro-poor elements were included in NCMS, financial burden remain, especially for the poor and chronically ill. Greater financial commitment from the government is needed. Developing purchasing capability of NCMS can be an effective way to promote equity and efficiency in health care delivery.

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Mosca, I.
hdl.handle.net/2105/16006
Master Health Economics, Policy and Law
Erasmus School of Health Policy & Management

Ye, Q. (2013, August 21). Impact of New Cooperative Medical Scheme on health care utilization and financial burden of illness in rural China: A systematic review. Master Health Economics, Policy and Law. Retrieved from http://hdl.handle.net/2105/16006