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Health Minister Chen Zhu says China plans to bring 90 percent of its population under the basic medical insurance system within three years.

The national health care system also will ensure much lower prices for medications and smaller co-payments for doctor visits and treatment.

The Minister shared the perspective in an interview with members of the media in Beijing on Saturday.

"On the one hand, we will extend coverage for more people. On the other hand, people who are covered by the basic medical insurance system can enjoy medical reimbursements as much as six times the average income of both rural and urban residents."

Chen Zhu says one problem with heath care today is that many public hospitals put profit before their roles as public commonwealth facilities. He says the core of the country's health care reform is getting hospitals to change their focus to serving patients.

"Seeking profits should not be the purpose of public hospitals. They should focus on treating the sick and saving lives."

The new health care plan is expected to be released after the two sessions of China's top legislative and top political advisory bodies that are underway in Beijing.

China's State Council approved the plan in January and promised to spend 850 billion yuan, or 123 billion U.S. dollars, by 2011 to provide universal medical service to the country's 1.3 billion people.

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