A capital example

Medical insurance does make a difference when people who have just a little bit more than enough to make ends meet contract a serious disease.

That explains why the central government initiated the scheme of healthcare security for children and the unemployed in 79 cities on a trial basis in July last year, with the goal of extending basic health security for serious diseases to all residents nationwide by 2010.

Beijing's move announced yesterday to provide such insurance for its 470,000 unemployed starting from next month will make the capital the first locality in the country to realize the goal two years ahead of schedule.