Beijing residents over age 95 eligible for medical care reimbursement

Beijing residents over age 95 eligible for medical care reimbursement

• Source: Global Times
• [09:18 March 21 2011]
• Comments

A senior citizen gets a medical checkup in Fengtai in October 2007. Photo: CFP

More seniors in Beijing will be able to enjoy full medical allowances from the government over the next five years, according to the Beijing Municipal Bureau of Civil Affairs Friday.

Seniors over 95 years old will receive 100-percent medical reimbursement from the bureau, a policy formerly only for people above age 100, according to a Beijing Daily report Sunday.

The adjustment means that 5,000 residents will benefit from the policy, an increase of 4,570 people.

More than 400 seniors over 100 years old received full medical reimbursement from the bureau last year, for a total of 350,000 yuan ($53,270).

According to the Beijing Municipal Committee on Aging, the government will spend at least 65 to 80 million yuan each year to offer better welfare for seniors in Beijing for the next five years, and residents above 80 years old can receive a 100-yuan allowance per person per month.

Previously, one had to be 90 years old to qualify for the allowance.

The government plans to invest 65 million yuan in a 12,000-square-meter service center for senior Beijing residents within this year to better coordinate and supervise services for the aged, the report said.

Currently, the city has 22,000 seniors above age 90, and 350,000 above 80 years old.

Global Times