Zhejiang authorities have been working to achieve full coverage of medical assistance policies among the province's underprivileged residents by the end of the year, according to local media reports.

As of the end of September, over 1.17 million people struggling financially had participated in the province's government-subsidized medical insurance program, receiving a total of 500 million yuan ($76.5 million) in subsidies this year. Dedicated medical assistance had been granted to such people 6.01 million times this year, exceeding one billion yuan in total value.

Jinhua is a leader in medical reform for the underprivileged. The city's reimbursement rate for the medical expenses of financially struggling residents sits at more than 95 percent.

Ma Long, a 40-year-old villager in Jinhua's Wuyi county, suffers from congenital hemophilia and receives a basic living allowance. His regular treatment costs more than 10,000 yuan per week, and although his medical expenses have so far surpassed 430,000 yuan this year, only around 7,000 yuan came out of his pocket, while the rest was paid for by government-subsidized medical insurance.