title: Benefit packages for chronic disease outpatients in the New Rural Cooperative Medical Scheme in 32 Chinese counties.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Chronic disease has become a major problem affecting the health of the Chinese population. In response to this situation, the New Rural Cooperative Medical Scheme (NRCMS) has begun to provide health cover for outpatients with chronic disease expenses, made possible by the increased risk pool of previous years. We compare the differences between Benefit Packages for Chronic Diseases Outpatients (BPCDO) in order to produce a reference for policy makers.
  
  
  METHODS
  Information on the various BPCDO was located by searching the official NRCMS website in Chinese, using certain criteria to select the ideal BPCDO. Population coverage, service coverage and cost of coverage were chosen to form the analytical framework for this paper. The diseases were classified according to the World Health Organisation's (WHO) International Classification of Diseases (ICD-10).
  
  
  RESULTS
  To avoid "moral hazard", complex processes have been created. This has resulted in chronic disease patients finding it very difficult to become beneficiaries. Forty-one types of chronic diseases were listed in 32 different BPCDO. We found that different counties have different co-payment rates, deductible lines, ceilings, coverage of drugs and tests, appointed hospitals and reimbursement frequencies.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  High mortality diseases and diseases with a heavier cost burden should be the priority on the list of reimbursement. The BPCDO scheme should be introduced urgently at the national level. It should include twenty-one types of disease and eight essential factors.
authors.affiliation: International Business School, Shaanxi Normal University, Yangling, Shaanxi, 710062, China.
authors.forename: Chuangzhou
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Xu
authors.affiliation: The Wesley Research Institute, Brisbane, Queensland, QLD 4066, Australia ; University of Queensland School of Population Health, Brisbane, Queensland, QLD 4006, Australia ; Queensland University of Technology School of Public Health, Brisbane, Queensland, QLD 4059, Australia.
authors.forename: Christian A
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: Gericke