Chapter 691

Like a spring breeze sweeping by, the grasslands sounded the charge of medical reform, and cadres and masses across the province fell into celebration!

Whether in city streets and alleys or rural fields, everyone was fervently discussing this profound reform; countless people had tears in their eyes, feeling that the beautiful dream of thousands of years was about to come true!

Although the grasslands' medical reform lacked the magnitude of that in Nanling, taking this crucial step was already no easy feat, and the grassland people were satisfied—after all, Nanling's fiscal revenue was there for the taking, and the grasslands could not hope to match it.

As everyone knows, as the initiator of the policy, Lu Fan has paid extraordinary, almost unimaginable hardship and effort, enduring tremendous pressure……

Naturally, his prestige in the grasslands grows day by day.

Moreover, with the impending implementation of 'point-of-service fee' education, Lu Fan further won widespread praise and acclaim from the entire province; everyone said the grasslands had gained a good leader—this is a blessing for the grassland people!

Lu Fan deeply understands that only by turning the current medical reform into a model project, summarizing and refining a scientific system and institution, can the next step of medical exploration proceed. Therefore, to achieve his wish, he still has a long road ahead.

The 'two-invoice system' is already so familiar to people in the medical circle, especially pharmaceutical and medical device enterprises, that it cannot be more familiar.

Implementing the two-invoice system on the grasslands means the existing ecosystem will be restructured; confusion, hesitation, pessimism, despair and other emotions spread among manufacturers and dealers, with lamentations everywhere, as if facing the 'end of the world'; they resignedly plan to abandon the market, because any effort would be futile.

When the government makes up its mind to do something, all resistance is like a mantis trying to stop a chariot—overreaching.

Documents from the Provincial Health Commission and Provincial Medical Insurance Bureau were issued one by one to each city and county, and the medical reform work proceeded in an orderly manner.

The Provincial Discipline Inspection Committee supervised the entire process, applying zero tolerance to 'stumbling blocks' and 'tripping stones' in the reform; upon discovering an instance, it investigated and punished it strictly, ensuring the smooth progress of medical reform with iron discipline.

Many medical staff harbored resentment in private, complaining they wanted to quit, but in the end only a handful actually resigned their public posts—who would have so many people willing to smash their own iron rice bowls?

Even before the medical reform was implemented, Lu Fan, Wang Dong, and Cheng Jingbo had discussed in depth that the high drug revenue ratio in public hospitals is an indisputable fact, usually over 40%, and some say even above 70%. This means that about half of a public hospital's income comes from selling drugs.

Previously, hospitals operated under a system of full revenue and full expenditure, turning all income over to the finance department; but from the late 1980s, public hospitals gradually began marketization, and the policy allowing a 15% drug markup gradually became distorted, ultimately leading to today's problems of overprescription, high drug prices, drug kickbacks, and so on.

Therefore, the grasslands' medical reform first cancels the 15% drug markup, aiming to cut off the profit mechanism of hospitals selling expensive drugs. Then, vigorously promoting the two-invoice system compresses moisture in the distribution link, lowers drug prices, curbs the space for commercial kickbacks; the overall idea is to raise the price of medical services that reflect the technical labor value of medical staff—diagnosis, treatment, surgery, rehabilitation, nursing, traditional Chinese medicine—while lowering the prices of large medical equipment examinations, treatments, and tests.

Moreover, there has long been a 'triangular debt' relationship among medical insurance, hospitals, and medical equipment producers and distributors: the medical insurance fund cannot promptly pay hospitals, hospitals cannot promptly pay distributors for goods, and distributors cannot promptly pay producers.

To this end, the grasslands' medical reform sets the prices of drugs, medical equipment, and medical devices through unified government tender procurement, and implements a '30-day payment return system for drug procurement'.

All public medical and health institutions at every level across the province, on the provincial drug procurement platform, according to drug purchase contracts and orders, pay the drug purchase funds online to the supervised account of the provincial medical equipment procurement center, and entrust that supervised account to make payments and settlements to suppliers.

This means that after a hospital receives the drugs, verifies their acceptance, and puts them into storage, it must transfer the payment to the supervised account within 30 days, after which the supervised account forwards the money to the producing or operating enterprise.

At the same time, the supervised account is linked to the hospital's basic account; if the hospital fails to make payment within 30 days, the supervised account can directly deduct funds from the hospital's basic account, ensuring that producers and operators can promptly receive payment.

Lu Fan has repeatedly emphasized with Cheng Jingbo and Wang Dong that in pharmaceutical corruption, drugs and medical practice should each bear 'fifty blows', because a single slap makes no sound; in the pharmaceutical field there is 'gold-plated sales', and in the medical field there is 'gold-plated prescribing', existing side by side.

Since public hospitals are Class II public institutions, the small portion that should be financially guaranteed is often not properly secured in many places; in reality, public hospitals are truly 'market entities'. They are self-funded, self-sustaining, bearing their own profits and losses; when fiscal guarantees fall short, some hospitals are forced to act out of necessity for survival and development.

Therefore, Lu Fan used the Provincial Discipline Inspection Committee's integrity account to make up in full all provincial hospitals' expenses, including 'historical arrears', and demanded that governments at all levels not delay hospital expenses for any reason or excuse.

In short, Lu Fan and everyone together listed all conceivable problems and difficulties, properly resolved them, and laid a solid foundation for the smooth advancement of the medical reform.

By the time the May Day holiday arrived, the various policies of the medical reform were gradually being implemented in hospitals, and the masses finally enjoyed the reform's dividends: abolishing threshold fees, 95% reimbursement, medical costs 'cut at the waist', greatly reduced…… the sense of gain in seeking medical care grew day by day!

April 27th was a moment worth remembering, a great moment!

Iron shoulders bear heavy responsibilities; a loyal heart writes a splendid chapter! Thunder erupts in silence; marvelous achievements arise from the intangible!

Not tasting the wine of the world, one does not know its drunkenness; not entangled in worldly affection, one does not know its tears; not experiencing the vicissitudes of hardship, one does not know its flavor.

Today, pierce the heavens, break the cauldrons and sink the boats!

Zhou Tianhui, the 'designated' spokesperson, released a carefully 'produced' video that shocked the world!

Lu Fan has closely followed the developments; countless times he has been moved to tears, watching Si Daiqiang, Guo Xiaopeng, Wang Gang and others vigorous and high-spirited, truly inspiring awe!

At the same time, he encourages himself: as long as he harbors dreams and keeps his feet on the ground, he will surely welcome his own brilliance!

During the May Day holiday, Li Lao suddenly felt inspired and, accompanied by Li Zimeng and Lu Yuxuan, came to the grasslands.

Lu Fan attached great importance to this, carefully arranged it, and took his family to enjoy the grassland scenery.

On May 1st, Xiao Lu drove a business car, accompanied by Provincial Party Committee Secretary Wu Xiaohua, Discipline Inspection Committee Secretary Du Wenlong, Deputy Director Liu of the Provincial Public Security Bureau, and Cheng Haohao, heading to He Lun City to attend the Nadam Fair.

Along the way, Xiao Lu quietly reported to Lu Fan that a sedan was closely following behind.

Upon hearing this, Lu Fan had Xiao Lu pause at the next service area for a moment to covertly observe the situation.

Unexpectedly, as soon as the car stopped, Zhang Sitong, head of the Provincial Culture and Tourism Department, stepped out of that sedan, trotted up to Lu Fan, and with a beaming smile said, 'Secretary, I am here especially to serve you!'

'One does not strike a smiling face,' and moreover it is not work hours now; Lu Fan smiled and asked, 'How did you know where I was going?'

Zhang Sitong quickly replied, 'These past two days I have been closely monitoring the grasslands tourism situation, and also 'by chance' saw you and your family out for fun; my Culture and Tourism Department has the responsibility to let the secretary and his family experience the authentic grasslands scenery, which is also a test of our work.' He could not say, 'I have been closely watching your every move as a top secretary.'

Since they all came along, Lu Fan didn't want to drive them away, so he smiled and said, 'All right then; I happen to have some things I'd like to discuss with you.'

Zhang Sitong happily said, 'It is my honor to hear the secretary's teachings; I will certainly implement your instructions in the grasslands' culture and tourism work.'

Lu Fan then said, 'Ride in my car and explain the Nadam Fair to everyone.'

'Okay, Secretary, I am a grasslander; I will certainly not disappoint everyone!' Zhang Sitong did not expect there would also be an unexpected joy.

Now, countless cadres in the grasslands want to cozy up to Lu Fan, but the vast majority cannot find a way, because Lu Fan basically has no hobbies, so everyone's attempts to curry favor fall flat.

Zhang Sitong is a smart person; he had long been observing whether Secretary Lu would bring his family to play on the grasslands during the May Day holiday, constantly 'loitering' in the Provincial Committee Office to gather information—indeed, effort is not wasted on the diligent, and details abound in officialdom.

After getting in the car, Zhang Sitong never expected that Li Lao was actually sitting inside!

After calming his emotions, Zhang Sitong enthusiastically explained to everyone that the Nadam Fair is a long-standing traditional festival of the grasslands, occupying an important place in the material life of the grassland people.

'Nadam' means entertainment or games; it is held every summer and autumn. During the fair, herders from all areas ride horses, drive carts, and bring furs, medicinal herbs, and agricultural and livestock products. Crowds gather in the fair's square, and on the surrounding green grasslands they erect white yurts.

The Nadam Fair in He Lun City, after nearly a year of preparation, will feature six major events—Ulan Muqi (Ulan herder performance), Nadam grand assembly, grassland market, grassland photography exhibition, grassland music and dining show, bonfire night—wonderfully staged, plus a brand-new performance 'Saihan Tala' that shines brightly, offering visitors the most authentic cultural feast.

This trip to He Lun, everyone can see the most traditional intangible-heritage performances, eat the most authentic Mongolian cuisine, stroll the liveliest grassland market, experience the most traditional 'Three Manly Skills', and play in the wildest bonfire revelry!

On the grasslands, the 'Red Cultural Light Cavalry' brings everyone to see true poetry and distant horizons!