The strains on China's health care system are beginning to tell. From all over the country, patients flock to the large, public hospitals; they wait in lines through the night. With treatment costs now borne by the patients, but the insurance system still underdeveloped, most people will not go to a hospital unless an ailment has become serious. That is also why they prefer the large, public hospitals. At the same time, hospitals compete to offer the best staff and the best facilities. To survive, they need to attract the wealthier patients by offering better care. This widening health-care gap is now a top priority for the government.