Foreigners without medical insurance face coronavirus bills

A number of ministry-level departments, including those responsible for health, foreign affairs, agricultural and rural affairs, and emergency management, have responded recently to issues of public concern.

Uninsured foreigners pay for COVID-19 treatment

Foreigners diagnosed with or suspected of contracting novel coronavirus pneumonia－dubbed COVID-19 by the World Health Organization－should pay for treatment in China if they haven't joined the country's basic medical insurance program, four ministries said in a joint notice.

Hospitals should not charge them before treating them, according to the notice, which was issued by the National Healthcare Security Administration, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Ministry of Finance and the National Health Commission.

If they have bought commercial health insurance, insurance companies should pay for their treatment in time according to their contracts, the notice, posted online on April 15, said.

For those who have joined China's basic medical insurance program, the program will provide reimbursement according to regulations, and the patients will pay the rest of the charges.

The notice also said that, in principle, foreigners subjected to concentrated quarantine should pay for the quarantine.

Ministry sends inspectors to monitor pig farming

The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs said it recently dispatched inspectors to a number of provinces, including Jiangsu and Zhejiang, to monitor their implementation of pig farming and African swine fever prevention policies.

Following comprehensive investigations, the inspectors urged the provinces to speed up the restoration of pig production. Provinces that are lagging behind should enhance their efforts to complete their tasks on time, they said.

The provinces should also manage the production of poultry, cattle and sheep well and ensure the supply of meat at stable prices, the inspectors said, requiring them to prevent African swine fever effectively and crack down on the illegal transport of pigs, which raises infection risks.

The inspectors also investigated how the provinces have vaccinated poultry, livestock and other animals.

Jiangsu is on track to restoring pig production, with the African swine fever situation in the province stable, the ministry said.

100 million yuan in drought aid for Yunnan

The Ministry of Finance and the Ministry of Emergency Management granted 100 million yuan ($14.1 million) to southwestern China's Yunnan province on April 17 to help it tackle drought.

The ongoing drought in the province has led to severe water shortages in the central and southern parts of Yunnan, the Ministry of Emergency Management said in a statement.

Some people in rural areas are having a hard time accessing adequate drinking water, and there is a shortage of water for spring farming, it said.
The State Flood Control and Drought Relief Headquarters and the ministry have dispatched working groups to drought-hit areas to help them cope with the disaster and ensure that people have enough drinking water, the ministry said.

Also on April 17, the ministry and the Ministry of Finance granted 30 million yuan to the Inner Mongolia autonomous region for dealing with ice jams on rivers.

Interest subsidies for loans to small businesses

The central government has decided to enhance support for startups and individually owned businesses through guaranteed loans backed by interest subsidies.

The loans will cover more businesses to tide them over the novel coronavirus pneumonia pandemic, according to a notice issued by the Ministry of Finance, the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Security, and the People's Bank of China.

Sole proprietors of businesses hit hard by the virus, such as retailers, hotels, caterers, and logistics and tourism operators, can apply for the loans until the end of the year, the notice said.

Full-time taxi drivers who have bought their taxis with down payments are also eligible for the loans.

The amount of loans a person can apply for has been raised to 200,000 yuan－a 50,000 yuan increase－and banks can allow loan payment extensions for owners of small and micro-sized businesses facing temporary liquidity shortages.

Banks should moderately lower the interest rates on new loans, the notice said.

Borrowers and the government will share the interest payments on loans to individuals and small and micro-sized businesses next year.