People with medical insurance can be reimbursed for treatment in a relatively easier way, if they go to a hospital in their hometown. But for those who travel to big cities to see a doctor, things are more complicated. The medical reform aims to make things easier.

Many retired parents choose to stay with their children who work far from home. Mr. Hu is one such parent. After he retired from working in Xinjiang, he headed to Beijing for his cancer treatment.

His daughter Hu Lianglei takes care of him. She also has to deal with the complicated process of getting the reimbursement from Xinjiang, where Mr. Hu got his insurance.

Mr. Hu said, "For the past half a year, in order to get the reimbursement, I need to prepare everything monthly, such as medical receipts, doctors' prescriptions, and the copy of the medical record. I have collect them all and send them back to the medical insurance office in Xinjiang."

Mr. Hu also needs to send applications before seeing a doctor in other places instead of Xinjiang. It usually takes months to get the money, but he is happy.

Mr. Hu said, "I was a government office worker, so the process of reimbursement is relatively easier. But for those who used to work in companies, it's very, very inconvenient. "

It's even more inconvenient for those who live in smaller cities, but need to be transferred to hospitals in big cities.

Zheng Chunfu waited for a month of applying for a hospital transfer, until he couldn't wait any longer. The Liaoning resident had surgery in Beijing and had to pay the 70-thousand yuan medical bill himself.

But things expected to improve with the government's new medical reforms. People will be reimbursed in the place they see the doctor.

He Ping, Researcher CTR for Social Security of CASS, said, "I think the medical treatment issue related to the retired and elderly people who live away from their hometowns, should be dealt in about one or two years."

Some cities like Shanghai and Hangzhou have already tried to make things easier. The two cities cooperate to allow their citizens to be reimbursed for medical bills produced each city. But there is still a long way to go until the whole country can enjoy a similar arrangement.

(CCTV April 9, 2009)