Confirmed and suspected patients with corona virus disease (COVID-19) will have their medical expenses fully covered by insurance and subsidies, according to the Zhuhai Healthcare Security Bureau.

 The COVID-19 Diagnosis & Treatment Scheme released by Zhuhai in late January includes drugs and treatment in the scope for medical insurance reimbursement and suspends the minimum reimbursement threshold for the time being.

Zhuhai's first treated COVID-19 patient is released from 5th Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University in Xiangzhou District on Jan 30 [Photo by Li Jianshu / Zhuhai Daily] 

Initial expenses will be balanced out by basic medical and critical illness insurance and medical aid, while the rest will be subsidized with regional fiscal resources where the patients receive treatment. Notably, Zhuhai's supplementary medical insurance "Boundless Love" will grant a 20,000-yuan ($2,883) compensation to policyholders with confirmed COVID-19.

Out-of-town patients can receive treatment in Zhuhai prior to payment, and qualify for the reimbursement policy where they are insured. Local medical institutions will pay for them and file information for unified national settlement after the epidemic ends. The situation will be reversed for patients insured in Zhuhai but receiving medical services elsewhere.

Confirmed patients with co-morbidities or complications and suspected patients that have undergone computerized tomography and other screening tests, who are covered by Zhuhai basic medical insurance, can also be reimbursed. Any such amounts will not be included in annual maximum reimbursement quotas and cumulative authorized hospitalization expenses.