Recently, Tuo Qingming, a deputy to the National People's Congress, put forward a proposal that has attracted much attention, that is, to implement a free medical policy for citizens under the age of 6 and over 75 years old. The proposal quickly sparked widespread heated discussion, with many netizens saying that if the proposal could be implemented, it would be a huge burden relief for most families and help China move towards the goal of free medical care for all.
It is important to note that this is not the first proposal for free medical care. A year ago, Gan Huatian, a member of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) and a professor at West China Hospital of Sichuan University, made a similar proposal. Gan Huatian suggested that free medical care for all should be listed as a basic national policy, and that free medical care for children under the age of 6 and the elderly over 80 years old should be gradually promoted as soon as possible. He stressed that this step-by-step strategy is to protect the life and health of "one old and one young", embodies the people-centered development concept, and is also an important measure to actively respond to the aging of the population and alleviate fertility anxiety.
Gan Huatian further pointed out that "free medical care for all" does not mean that it is completely free or completely borne by the state finance, but that it is a universal medical insurance system with a higher level of protection and a lower proportion of individual payment. The purpose of this system is to provide citizens with more comprehensive medical protection, reduce the financial burden on families, and improve the health level of the people.
In addition, more netizens suggested that the age limit for the elderly should be relaxed to over 60 years old. This suggests that the public's expectations for health benefits are not limited to a specific age group, but rather a desire to be more widely available to all age groups. This call also reflects the strong demand for a better medical and welfare system in Chinese society.
Overall, the proposals and discussions reflect a strong public demand for improved health care and welfare systems, especially for children and the elderly, who are socially vulnerable. At the same time, it also reflects China's efforts and commitment to gradually improve the social security system. In the future, it is expected that according to the needs and opinions of the public, we can formulate a more comprehensive and thoughtful medical security policy to provide more solid health protection for the people.