IN the past, holders of social security cards from other parts of China needed to pay medical treatment expenses in Shanghai first and could only receive reimbursement when they returned home.

Now they are able to pay medical expenses via their cards at 449 hospitals in Shanghai.

Shanghai Human Resources and Social Security Bureau said the change of practice relieves the burden of out-of-town patients from having to travel here and there.

By the end of August, Shanghai had registered about 83,000 out-of-town patients, who are now able to use their cards in the city for medical treatment.