Chinese patients suffering from Covid-19 are struggling under mounting medical bills after state-backed health insurance schemes reduced or dropped coverage in response to an unprecedented wave of infections sweeping across the country.

At least 14 Chinese cities and provinces have stopped providing free treatment for coronavirus after Beijing abruptly rolled back its zero-Covid strategy last month, according to local government announcements. For three years, Chinese patients had received subsidised care for the virus.

Hospitals in Shanghai and Guangzhou are instead charging Covid patients with severe cases up to Rmb20,000 ($3,000) — about five months of income for an average urban resident — per day for intensive care, adding fears of onerous medical debt to the risk of infection. Insurance companies have been reluctant to approve Covid-related claims after previously selling tens of millions of low-cost plans as the industry seeks to avoid liability for enormous payouts during an “exit wave” of cases.