Inequities in Chinese Health Services: An Overview of the Recent History of Chinese Health Care and Recommendations for Reform

摘要

The Chinese health system was once held up as a model for providing universal health care in the developing world in the 1970s, only to have what is now considered one of the least equitable systems in the world according to the World Health Organization. This article begins with a brief look at what equity in health services entails, and considers the inequities in access to health services in China among different segments of the population. This article will consider challenges the current inequities may present to China in the near future if reforms are not implemented. Finally, it will take a look at reforms made by Chinaa??s neighbors, Singapore and Thailand, which made their health care more equitable, affordable, and sustainable.