Wendy Zhang/ Shanghai Daily news

City residents going to the doctor's need carry only their social security cards rather than piles of cash, today's Jiefang Daily reported.
Previously, a portion of patient's medical costs was covered by the city's medical insurance system and the remainder by cash. Now, social security card holders can apply for the inter-linking of their bank cards with their social security cards so that they can pay medical bills by bank card, without incurring bank charges.
With pin-numbers needed, one bank card can link to several social security cards, while one social security card can only be linked to one bank card. In this way, people with bank cards can help their relatives and friends pay their medical costs.
To date, the plan has been implemented at 11 hospitals on a trial basis, namely Huashan Hospital, Longhua Hospital, No.8 People's Hospital, Yueyang Hospital, International Peace Maternity and Child Health Hospital, Yangpu Hospital for the Aged, Pudong Central Hospital, Jinshan Hospital, Quyang Hospital, Ouyang Hospital and Ganquan Hospital.
Six banks are part of the scheme, namely the Bank of Shanghai, Bank of Communications, Shanghai Pudong Development Bank, China Merchants Bank, Industrial Bank and Shenzhen Development Bank.
Social security card services in ten local sub-districts and counties have started to handle the relevant procedures, and citizens can search on www.962222.net or dial 962222 for detailed information.