SHENZHEN residents can now purchase the critical illness insurance for the year 2021-2022, as the city began accepting payment for the insurance earlier this week, sznews.com reported.

The insurance premium for the year has been increased from 30 yuan (US$4.57) to 39 yuan.

The critical illness insurance is open to all citizens who have joined the city’s basic medical insurance program, regardless of household registration status, age and medical history.

As a supplemental health-care insurance, the critical illness insurance covers all severe diseases for hospitalized patients and 13 kinds of medicines for special treatment in outpatient clinics within the insurance’s reimbursement scope. The compensation can be settled in all designated medical institutions in the city.

The insurance can also reimburse 60 percent of the medical costs at outpatient clinics and emergency departments of Grade-II and above public hospitals for insured citizens aged between 28 days and 65 years old. The maximum amount that can be reimbursed is 50 yuan.

For those insured who are over 65 years old, they will be given a health management package which includes nine times of health consulting service and cash vouchers for designated health products.

This year, the critical illness insurance has also increased the allowance for rare diseases. The insured who is diagnosed with one of the following diseases including spinal muscular atrophy, Pompe disease, Fabry disease and mucopolysaccharide storage disease will enjoy the special medicine allowance with a maximum of 50,000 yuan during the policy period.

The time for groups and individuals to purchase the critical illness insurance is before May 9 and between May 10 and June 9, respectively. The payment for the critical illness insurance will be deducted from the individual’s medical insurance account around the middle of June. (Zhang Yu)