Hohhot – capital city of North China's Inner Mongolia autonomous region – is rolling out online medical insurance certificates, in order to streamline the system for people who are covered to get prompt medical assistance, according to local media reports.

In future, those who are covered need only show their insurance QR code to get treatment and buy medicine, without the need to carry a physical card.

Local officials said the initiative is the only online medical insurance identity certificate at the moment being issued by the National Medical Healthcare Security Administration.

They said the online certificate has the advantages of convenience, diverse applications, safety and reliability and universal use throughout the country.

Those insured can activate it through third-party channels certified and authorized by the National Medical Healthcare Security Administration, including the national medical security services app, the app for Inner Mongolia medical insurance services, as well as WeChat and Alipay.