Staff from the regional Labor and Social Security Department, Health Department and Bureau of Labor distributed brochures on medical insurance while answering questions on the region's medical insurance system.

Statistics show that some 40,000 employees have signed up for medical insurance since December 1. The medical program will be officially launched on January 1 in Lhasa.

The medical insurance, whose premiums will be co-submitted by the individuals and their work units, will pay medical costs for certain high-priced medical treatment.

Insurance companies will be the primary sources of payment under the new system. This is expected to solve the financial difficulties for the low-income and laid-off workers when they have serious illnesses.

(Xinhua News Agency December 23, 2001)