Availability, use, and affordability of medicines in urban China under universal health coverage: an empirical study in Hangzhou and Baoji.

Background: This study aimed to examine the availability, use, and affordability of medicines in urban China following the 2009 Health Care System Reform that included implementation of universal health coverage (UHC).

Methods: This longitudinal study was performed in Hangzhou (high income, eastern China) and Baoji (lower income, western China). Five yearly household surveys were conducted (one each year from 2009 to 2013) to evaluate the impact of UHC on medicines use and expenditure, and a health facility survey was conducted in 2013 to evaluate availability of medicines.