BEIJING, April 22 (Xinhua) -- China's State Council on Thursday issued a guideline on improving the mutual-aid mechanism for covering outpatient bills under its basic medical insurance system for the employed.

The General Office of the State Council in the guideline has called for efforts to take gradual steps toward reimbursing outpatient bills through unified accounts, with the medicines for chronic and common illnesses incorporated.

The unified accounts should include all employees insured under the basic medical insurance system and enable them to reimburse at least 50 percent of the outpatient fees, the guideline noted.

The use of personal medical insurance accounts will be expanded to cover the costs of medicines and medical equipment bought from designated pharmacies. The accounts of working people will also allow family sharing to reduce the burden on patients by a considerable margin.

The guideline also called for stricter inspection and regulation on the use of medical insurance funds and accelerated inter-provincial on-the-spot settlement of outpatient bills.

The guideline requires provincial governments to formulate local implementation plans before the end of the year while allowing them to complete their reform goals within a transition period of approximately three years. Enditem

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