In the recent past, Shanghai has established the Basic Medical Insurance systems for urban employees, self-employed professionals, retired persons, and small town employees, to provide security for the basic medical services for the mass still-working and retired employees. For those citizens who are not social insurance participants in Shanghai, they must pay their high medical expenses at their own cost. To reduce their medical expenses by means of social assistance, the Shanghai Health Insurance Bureau, and the Shanghai Civil Administration Bureau led the implementation of the Medical Assistance Plan for the Community.