SHENZHEN has launched a new set of financial support measures for the treatment of patients suffering the novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV) pneumonia to ensure that all cases receive timely and thorough treatment, Shenzhen Special Zone Daily reported yesterday.

According to a notice jointly issued by the city’s medical insurance bureau, finance bureau and health commission Sunday, any suspected and infected cases, whether they are a city medical insurance holder or not, will be exempt from all medical payments.

Expenses from medicines and medical services needed for treating the pneumonia will be completely covered by medical insurance funds, said the notice.

Apart from payments covered by basic medical insurance, serious illness insurance and the medical assistance system, any remaining medical costs that must be personally paid for, either by insurance holders or non-insurance holders, will be subsidized, according to the notice.

Moreover, those who are treated outside of their place of residence will not be limited by existing reimbursement policies, the notice said.

Medical insurance departments will cover expenses incurred in the treatment of the novel coronavirus-caused pneumonia in advance to lessen the financial pressures on hospitals.

Additionally, special funds will be allocated to designated hospitals that receive confirmed patients, suspected patients or patients tested negative on the nucleic acid tests but who need further treatment as well as hospitals that are carrying out the newly developed coronavirus nucleic acid tests.

A special medical insurance prepayment of 26.5 million yuan (US$3.77 million) has been provisioned to ensure the financing of the hospitals.

According to the city’s finance bureau, Shenzhen had invested 253 million yuan to support the battle against the new virus as of Jan. 28, including 90.73 million yuan of equipment and materials for epidemic prevention and control.

Actual expenditures stood at 127 million yuan, including 50.65 million yuan of special equipment for protection.

Medical staff and epidemic prevention workers will also receive a bonus of 300 yuan per day from the city government.

As of 12 p.m. yesterday, a total of 245 confirmed cases of pneumonia caused by the novel coronavirus were reported in Shenzhen, including 19 new confirmed cases. No patients have so far died of the disease.

Five more patients in Shenzhen were discharged from the hospital yesterday afternoon, bringing the total number of discharged patients to 10.

(Zhang Yu)

Daily Report

Total: 245

New: 19

Recovered: 10

Death toll: 0