Children's hospitalization fund payment due in September

This year’s children’s hospitalization fund payment will be open from September 1 to 30, Shanghai’s office for the fund said on Wednesday.

Children aged below 5 years old need to pay 150 yuan (US$21.7) and the payment for those aged between 6 and 18 is 130 yuan. The period of validity is from September 1 to August 31 next year.

Children can pay the premium to their schools. Those who do not go to school can pay at local community health service centers. Children under 3 years old can also pay the insurance fee through www.shfft.com and the Wechat account “ezhangdan.”

The non-profit fund was founded by the Red Cross Society of China Shanghai Branch, Shanghai Education Commission and Shanghai Health Committee in 1996. The fund was started to improve the city’s basic medical insurance for children and protect young people who are hospitalized.

According to statistics, 2.3 million young people aged below 18 years old are insured every year. As of May, the fund has paid 2.74 billion yuan for children who should be in hospitals, over 2 million times.