ABSTRACT
In 2009, China adopted a major health reform designed to expand health insurance to the entire population. The adoption of this plan, and the subsequent efforts to implement it, reflect the priority that the Chinese government has placed on health in the wake of the Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) outbreak in 2002–2003. SARS exposed the weakness of the Chinese public health and health care systems and embarrassed the Chinese leadership.
