China arrests hospital ticket scalpers after woman's rant goes online

Beijing police have arrested 12 people for scalping tickets for hospital appointments as authorities pledge to crack down on a scam that infuriates many and prevents some patients from getting much-needed care.

 The arrests, confirmed by police Thursday, followed a viral video of a furious young Chinese woman who failed to get a hospital ticket for her paralyzed mother after lining up at a Beijing hospital for a day.

 The woman had traveled hundreds of miles and rented a basement room near the Beijing hospital for $20 a day, according to the Beijing Youth Daily. She had to carry her mother on her back to visit the hospital.

 Most hospitals in China require patients to buy registration tickets in order to see a doctor or get hospital treatment. The system, known as "guahao" in Chinese, is widely abused, in which scalpers buy tickets in bulk and then sell them to would-be patients at inflated prices.

Those with the most serious needs are often the biggest victims of the rip-off.

The unidentified woman in the widely shared video said scalpers wanted 4,500 yuan ($685) for a ticket worth 300 yuan ($45) had she been able to register herself.

Since the video was published online Monday, thousands said they shared the woman's frustrations and showed their support by posting their own personal anecdotes.