Notice of Policy to Ensure Funding Related to the Prevention and Control of the Novel Coronavirus Pneumonia Epidemic

Index number: 000013610/2020-00254

Title: Ministry of Finance and National Health Commission Notice of Policy to Ensure Funding Related to the Prevention and Control of the Novel Coronavirus Pneumonia Epidemic

Caishe (2020) No.2

To the finance departments (bureaus) and health commissions of each province, autonomous region, directly governed municipalities, and municipalities with independent planning status, and those of the Xinjiang Production and Construction Corps:

In order to carry out the spirit of the important instructions of General Secretary Xi Jinping on efforts to prevent and control the novel coronavirus pneumonia epidemic, in accordance with the Party Central Commission and State Council's major decisions and deployments, to support each region to better complete work of ensuring funds for the prevention and control efforts and to curb the spread of the disease, notice is hereby given on the issue of funding safeguards:

I. Implement the policy of subsidies for patient care. For the medical expenses of confirmed patients, after payments are made as provided by basic health insurance and medical care, the portion borne by individuals is to be subsidized by government finance. Local finance is to first pay necessary funds, and central finance will give local finance subsidies of 60% of actual expenses.

II. Give temporary work subsidies to medical personnel and disease control workers participating in prevention and control work. In accordance with the provisions of the "Ministry of Human Resources and Social Insurance and Ministry of Finance Notification of Establishing Temporary Work Subsidies for Personnel in the Prevention and Control of Infectious Disease Epidemics" (Renshebugui (2016) No. 4), central finance is follow the type 1 subsidy standard to give each person directly screening cases or participating in the diagnosis, treatment, or care of confirmed cases, and personnel involved with hospital infection control, collecting case samples and pathogen detection, a daily per person subsidy of 300 RMB [~$43]; and central finance is to give other medical personal and disease control workers participating in epidemic prevention and control work a daily subsidy of 200 RMB [~$28] per person. Subsidies are to be paid in advance by the local governments, and the central government will settle accounts with the local governments. Central-level health and hygiene bodies are to follow localized management, and central government subsidy funds allocated to the local government are to be uniformly distributed by the local government.

III. All funds needed for medical and health establishments' purchase of specialized equipment for prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of the epidemic, as well as for rapid diagnostic reagents, are to be arranged by local government finance, with the central government finance giving subsidies in light of the circumstances. Central-level health and hygiene bodies are to follow localized management, and central government subsidy funds allocated to the local government are to be uniformly distributed by the local government.

All levels of finance department should work together with departments fo health to put the subsidy policies described above in place as quickly as possible, and must do a good job in ensuring funds for prevention and control, and must not delay treatment and epidemic prevention and control because of costs. At the same time, relevant expenses being paid should be strictly reviewed and reported to the National Health Commission and Ministry of Finance as a basis for settling accounts between central and local finance.

Ministry of Finance, National Health Commission

January 25, 2020