China is taking significant steps to enhance its basic medical insurance scheme, offering better healthcare access to its citizens. At a recent medical insurance conference, officials announced the expansion of the medical insurance drug catalog, increased centralized medicine procurement, and the inclusion of more medical services in the plan.
As of November, the basic medical insurance fund reported a total income of 3.11 trillion yuan (approximately $427 billion) and expenditures of 2.63 trillion yuan. This leaves a healthy balance of 459.1 billion yuan in the pooled fund for 2024, indicating that China’s medical insurance fund is operating steadily with sufficient resources to cover medical expenses for insured individuals.
The latest updates to the national medical insurance drug catalog include the addition of 91 new drugs, bringing the total to 3,159. Additionally, centralized procurement efforts have successfully reduced the prices of 62 more medicines, making treatments more affordable for patients across the country.
In a move to further support families, most regions in China have added assisted reproduction services to the scope of medical insurance reimbursement. This expansion has benefited over a million people so far this year, providing hope and assistance to those seeking to start families.
Accessibility has also improved, with 640,000 medical institutions and pharmacies nationwide now supporting direct settlement of medical expenses across different localities. As of November, these facilities have provided 213 million services to insured individuals, an impressive 87.98 percent increase compared to the same period in 2023.
Efforts to safeguard the integrity of the medical insurance fund have been strengthened. A nationwide campaign against medical insurance-related fraud has recovered 24.23 billion yuan from January to November 2024, ensuring that resources are used effectively and reach those in need.
Reference(s):
China expands medical insurance, boosts accessibility and coverage
cgtn.com
