Chapter 532

On the anti-corruption path.

Jian Sining led the team charging toward the provincial Renmin Yiyuan, that momentum, not like going to see a doctor, but like going to raid a bandit's den.

Along the way, the young subordinates were still a bit nervous, asking: "Section Chief Jian, should we directly go to the urology clinic to arrest someone? Would that be bad?"

Jian Sining didn't even lift her eyelids: "Bad impact? She treats patients to death and isn't afraid of bad impact; we're arresting a suspect suspected of corruption, perjury, and dereliction of duty—do we still need to pick an auspicious day? Go straight! If she's in surgery, we'll wait outside the operating room! Let the whole hospital see what an anti-corruption attitude looks like!"

……

Interrogation Room No. 1.

Smoke swirled, the atmosphere 'harmonious' to an almost unreal degree.

Peng Tianhua rubbed his own head, looking worried for the country and the people: "Divine Doctor Wei, you said the hematoma in my brain... what exactly is the condition? Which nerve is it pressing? Will it affect my driving a Porsche... no, will it affect my revolutionary work?"

This...

Wei Shouqin glanced up at Lin Dongfan, who stood smiling silently at the doorway.

He steadied himself.

He exhaled a smoke ring and said: "The impact is definitely there—mildly dizziness and blurred vision, severely... brain damage, possibly abnormal behavior and cognitive impairment. Section Chief Peng, I'm not trying to scare you; with your condition you need to get a high-definition CT, a 3D reconstruction, so we can see clearly."

"Absolutely necessary!" Peng Tianhua nodded repeatedly, then immediately put on a bitter face: "But… seeing a doctor costs money, our unit's medical insurance…"

Wei Shouqin seemed to know Peng Tianhua was trying to fish for information—the dark side of medical insurance.

He waved his hand, fully displaying the 'Divine Doctor' aura: "Talking about money? Vulgar! Like this, help me with a small favor—give me paper and pen, I'll write down the examination items you need and the subsequent treatment regimen! Go to the hospital and follow this! I guarantee the medicine will cure the illness, and you won't spend a penny!"

No.

Peng Tianhua shook his head again.

He replied solemnly: "I already know about your ability to dominate the provincial medical scene—hospital directors all follow your orders. Now I just want to know about your achievements in the medical insurance field."

Lin Dongfan, who was watching from the crack in the door, was also waiting for that answer.

Regarding the current medical insurance system's problems, Lin Dongfan was also a bit confused. According to the timeline from his previous life, our country would not carry out institutional reform and establish the Medical Security Bureau until 2018.

Right now it's just one word—chaos.

Employee medical insurance, resident medical insurance, and maternity insurance are handled by the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Security.

New rural cooperative medical care is managed by the health department.

Drug and medical service prices are supervised by the National Development and Reform Commission.

Medical assistance is implemented by the Ministry of Civil Affairs.

These functions will only be unified under the Medical Security Bureau after institutional reform; currently there is no Medical Security Bureau.

Under these circumstances.

Employee and resident medical insurance fall outside Wei Shouqin's purview, but the 'new rural cooperative medical care' is within his authority—Huang Xiuju bankrupted herself treating her son's illness, and he bears responsibility.

Peng Tianhua's sudden question was like a fishbone, precisely lodged in Wei Shouqin's throat as he was about to launch into a grand discourse.

Talk about medical insurance?

Damn it, can you speak openly in this smoke-filled interrogation room? This murky water is more complicated than the herbs in his kidney-tonic prescription, and it's scalding!

The 'Divine Doctor' expression on Wei Shouqin's face instantly froze; the finger holding his cigarette twitched imperceptibly.

He subconsciously glanced again at Lin Dongfan, who wore a half-smile at the doorway, cursing inwardly, knowing these two were playing good cop, bad cop, trying to trip him up with their double act.

Cough cough!

Wei Shouqin gave two dry coughs, trying to steer the topic back to the safe zone of 'benevolent healer': "Section Chief Peng, your question is off target. I used to be a doctor; now I'm a cadre in the health system, mainly responsible for medical policy and public health. The concrete management and use of the medical insurance fund is the responsibility of the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Security, the National Development and Reform Commission, and the Ministry of Civil Affairs—each has its own regulations, so I shouldn't interfere too much; really, there's not much room for maneuver."

No room for maneuver?

Peng Tianhua shook his head like a rattle-drum: "Section Chief Wei, you're not being sincere. Just now you said you'd write me a note for a free hospital check-up, and now you're talking about regulations? If you really have no leeway, could a single phone call get the hospital director to waive hundreds of thousands in examination fees? Don't treat me like a three-year-old."

Saying that, Peng Tianhua leaned forward again.

He lowered his voice.

Like a scalper peddling insider info: "Section Chief Wei, just give us the lowdown—your health system oversees this 'new rural cooperative medical care,' a huge pool with tons of money flowing through it each year… Is there any… flexible wiggle room? For example, designated hospitals, drug formularies, reimbursement ratios… If you loosen your grip just a bit, couldn't those below gorge themselves on the gravy?"

He was practically asking outright, "How do you make money?"

Wei Shouqin began to sweat on his back.

He suddenly realized he had underestimated this somewhat silly Section Chief Peng—his clowning was just a facade; the place where he stabbed was both precise and ruthless.

Wei Shouqin's face darkened, adopting a stern posture: "Section Chief Peng! Watch your words! The medical insurance fund is the people's lifeline money, a high-voltage line—whoever touches it dies! Our health system has always strictly supervised, ensuring every penny goes to the front lines! Your baseless speculation is an insult to all medical and health workers!"

"Oh dear, you're getting worked up?"

Peng Tianhua wasn't scared at all; instead he was delighted, eyebrows lifting in a grin.

Fan Ye, take a look—Section Chief Wei's awareness, his Party spirit, no wonder he's collected a roomful of Items! If there were no problem, could he be panicking like this? I just casually asked about 'wiggle room,' and he immediately escalated it to 'insulting all workers'—isn't that overreacting, Section Chief Wei?

"Section Chief Wei, don't get worked up."

Lin Dongfan cooperatively pushed the door open, wearing a playful smile: "Section Chief Peng is also concerned about the safety of the national medical insurance fund, just chatting. If you're upright, you have nothing to fear from your shadow—why the rush? Could it really be as outside rumors say, that some people in the health system treat the 'new rural cooperative medical care' as their own ATM, colluding with designated pharma and equipment firms to do things like 'targeted recommendations' and 'over-purchasing'? Let's talk openly."

Wei Shouqin's face flushed red from being badgered by the duo's good-cop/bad-cop routine, his breathing becoming hurried.

He knew this question must not be answered—answering it would mean utter ruin.

He sucked hard on his cigarette, forcing composure: "If one wants to accuse someone, there's never a lack of excuses! You anti-corruption bureau investigators rely on catching wind and shadows, mere subjective speculation? I, Wei Shouqin, walk the straight and narrow—don't spout baseless claims."

"Evidence will surely turn up."

Lin Dongfan said slowly, his eyes cutting across Wei Shouqin's face like a blade: "I just don't know—when we uncover those medical reps closely tied to you, those private institutions oddly made designated hospitals, those drugs and supplies with inflated prices that still manage to get into the reimbursement catalog…… Section Chief Wei, will you still be able to walk the straight and narrow then?"

"You need to investigate the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Security, the National Development and Reform Commission, and the financial units."

Wei Shouqin's motto is 'I don't go it alone; if there's a pot, we all share the load,' thinking that if the anti-corruption bureau really had that ability, they'd take down several departments at once.

Just then, Lin Dongfan's phone vibrated; he pulled it out to see a brief message from Jian Sining: "She's in surgery, so it's not convenient to arrest her right now—we'll have to wait a bit."

"Keep an eye on her—don't let her flee under the pretense of surgery."

This 'her' refers to the implicated doctor in the urology department of the provincial Renmin Yiyuan, Xiang Wenting.

Lin Dongfan curled the corner of his mouth in a cold smile, waving his phone screen at Wei Shouqin; although the content wasn't clear, the gesture itself was like a silent proclamation.

Lin Dongfan no longer looked at the pallid Wei Shouqin, and said to Peng Tianhua: "Lao Peng, it seems Wei Ting temporarily doesn't want to talk about that big piece of fat meat, medical insurance. No matter, let's change the topic and talk about Doctor Xiang. I heard her surgeries are done 'very well', especially her means of 'handling' medical disputes, which are even more 'clean and swift'."