Shanghai will include online medical services in the public healthcare insurance system on a trial basis amid efforts to prevent the spread of the coronavirus.

Cao Junshan, deputy director of Shanghai’s Healthcare Security Administration, told reporters yesterday costs of subsequent medical services provided via Internet by designated hospitals for contracted patients with common or chronic diseases will be partly paid for by insurance and patients can pay the rest online.

The prices and rates of payments by insurance will be the same with those provided offline. Medical institutions can hire qualified third-party organizations to deliver prescribed medicines.

On February 4, the administration announced treatment of coronavirus patients and suspected cases would be covered by health insurance and fiscal funds.

The new measures announced yesterday include one to increase insurance budgets for hospitals to speed up treatment.

The administration encourages institutions to use new technologies and will speed up their price assessment so that new technologies can be put into use and benefit patients as soon as possible.