Book Chapter
Market-Based Reforms and Changes in China's Health Care System

Although economic growth is not the only major contributor to the improvements in the health sector, these aspects are highly associated with one another. With the resurging interest in discovering other factors relevant to the development of health services provision, this chapter outlines the historical progress of health systems in China, looking at health care arrangements under a planned economy, prior to the reforms, as well as during the present time. It is found that before market-based transformations took place, China's medical assistance delivery was successful due to the launch of health service networks, competitive manpower training and education, the introduction of precautionary measures, the formulation of insurance grants, and the active involvement of the Chinese administration. However, since a new strategy was introduced to the country along with the enthusiasm to discover noble things, the country experienced an economic shift, which brought predicaments in the endowment of health services.