Key practical points:
• It entrenches the citizen's right to basic medical care and public health services.
• It defines the care structure: public hospitals, community health centres and private hospitals.
• Patients have rights: to know their condition, consent to treatment, and privacy and medical confidentiality.
• It promotes primary care and a 'tiered referral system' from health centre to hospital.
• It bans refusing emergency treatment and entrenches emergency care for all.
• It strengthens prevention, health education and a healthy environment (such as smoking control in public places).
Basic Medical and Health Care and Health Promotion Law · Yalla China
中华人民共和国基本医疗卫生与健康促进法 / Basic Medical and Health Care and Health Promotion Law
Enacted: 2019-12-28 ✅ Effective: 2020-06-01
📝 Overview
A framework law entrenching the citizen's right to health and defining the basic medical-care system and public health services. It addresses hospitals, patients' rights and the distribution of health resources. It concerns everyone using the health system, including resident foreigners.
This is general information only, not legal advice. For your specific case, consult a licensed lawyer.
📜 The law text / key provisions
💬 Practical reading
💬 This is a general reading/opinion for orientation — not the official legal text nor legal advice.
If you need care in China, remember emergencies may not be refused, and you have the right to know your condition, consent to treatment and have your privacy protected. For minor issues, start at a community health centre before a big hospital. General orientation, not legal advice.
📎 Official source
National Health Commission / nhc.gov.cn
🕒 Updated: 16 March 2026