A NEW medical insurance practice is being trialled in Luohu in an effort to reduce expenditures by medical insurance.

The new measurement will be rolled out by two municipal government departments and the Luohu District Government to boost the city’s reform of private medical services, the Daily Sunshine reported.

The Municipal Human Resources and Social Security Administration, the Municipal Health, Population and Family Planning Commission with the Luohu District Government recently launched a program to implement a practice that grades medical services into different categories. The goal is to shift hospitals’ idea of “treatment” to “health management.”

The Luohu Hospital Group, including Luohu People’s Hospital, Luohu Traditional Chinese Medicine Hospital, the Luohu Women and Children’s Health Care Hospital as well as 48 community health-care centers, is going to trial the project.

Residents who volunteer to join the program will enjoy priority to be seen by doctors and assigned GPs.

The health, population and family planning commission said if the total medical costs for the insured who join the program are less than the total amount in the previous year, the money saved will be paid to the Luohu Hospital Group, which can use the money to improve remuneration of medical workers.

The hospital group will provide basic medical treatment and public health services. While integrating medical resources across Luohu District, the group will also offer electronic medical record and medication consulting to people who sign up for the medical insurance.

Residents who have been insured by Shenzhen’s social medical insurance for more than one year can sign up for the program at the trial medical institutions. (Zhang Qian)