Paper long abstract:

This paper discusses what has been termed 'the vicious circle' of poverty and disability as it manifests itself in rural areas in the People's Republic of China (PRC). Based on ethnographic fieldwork conducted among persons with disabilities in Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, I will present material concerning access to health and rehabilitation services. Lack of access to adequate health care and impoverishment due to health care expenses are currently perceived as crucial issues causing poverty in rural PRC. In the presentation I shall focus on the new health insurance and discuss this new scheme both in terms of people's experiences and local political implementation. My main purpose is to investigate how access to health care and rehabilitation services for persons with disabilities is secured within the new health insurance system and, moreover, to analyse the potentialities and challenges within these schemes, both in terms of poverty reduction and social inclusion.