According to reports, Zhang Ming, the head of the expert group of the National Medical Insurance Bureau of the Chinese Communist Party, is currently under investigation. Netizens are demanding a thorough investigation and expressing concerns about the high cost of medications.
On April 19th, the topic of “Investigation of the Head of the Expert Group of the National Medical Insurance Bureau” trended on social media platforms in mainland China. Reports from Economic Observation Network indicated that on the 18th, it was learned from multiple sources that Zhang Ming is being investigated by the relevant authorities.
It was reported that a person close to the expert group of the National Medical Insurance Bureau mentioned that Zhang Ming was still attending meetings as recently as March this year.
The main responsibilities of the expert group of the National Medical Insurance Bureau include providing consultation and opinion arguments for the formulation of national and local policies, providing operational guidance for the implementation of relevant policies, as well as training and interpreting centralized procurement of drugs and medical consumables.
Zhang Ming had previously served as the director of the Shanghai Medical Centralized Bidding and Procurement Affairs Management Institute. After news of his investigation was revealed, netizens called for a thorough investigation, stating, “It involves the lives and health of the people, must be thoroughly investigated and strictly dealt with.” Some netizens also criticized, “The same medication, from the same manufacturer, is being sold more expensively at pharmacies compared to hospitals. If you don’t believe it, you can make a comparison. Pharmacy prices are at least double that of hospitals.” “Pharmacy medications are becoming more expensive. Our company’s medical insurance is not particularly low, but when you have a cold, buying medication is simply unaffordable.”
In January of this year, news about the same medication being more expensive in pharmacies than when purchased online surged on social media platforms in mainland China. Many people expressed that medications in pharmacies are much pricier compared to online prices, some even three to four times higher.
At that time, a woman from Chaoyang District in Beijing revealed to the CCP’s official media CCTV that a box of cold medicine was being sold for 168 yuan in a pharmacy, while the same medicine was priced at 59 yuan on online pharmaceutical platforms, making the online price 109 yuan cheaper than the pharmacy price.
At that time, a well-known social media influencer, Hu Huacheng, did some calculations. Thirty years ago, people could recover from a cold by spending a few yuan, or a bit more if it was a bit severe. Back then, people’s monthly salaries were around 400 yuan, spending about 2.5% of a monthly salary for a doctor’s visit, less than a day’s wages. Thirty years later, a doctor’s visit for a cold includes registration, blood tests, X-rays, and medication, costing a few hundred yuan each time. If the cold is severe, requiring intravenous therapy, the out-of-pocket cost could exceed 2,000 yuan, with limited assistance from medical insurance. Based on an average monthly salary of 5,000 yuan, a doctor’s visit would require about 10% of the monthly income, more than a day’s wages.
In 2023, Chinese national first-grade actor Wang Quan issued a video criticizing the high cost of medications. He stated that he spent 800 yuan on three boxes of medication for a cold at the hospital, even with medical insurance, it was still unaffordable.