In 2023, China’s medical insurance system has demonstrated stable operation and significant enhancements in services for the people, according to a recent report. The National Healthcare Security Administration published a statistical report on Thursday, highlighting the development of the country’s medical insurance industry over the past year.
One of the key improvements has been the convenience of cross-regional medical visits. By the end of last year, over 550,000 medical and pharmaceutical institutions across China were included in the national medical insurance network designated for trans-provincial settlement of medical bills. This network comprises approximately 198,000 medical institutions and 352,400 pharmacies, making it easier for citizens to access healthcare services regardless of their location.
Throughout the year, there were 243 million cross-regional outpatient, emergency, and inpatient visits, involving medical expenses totaling 711.1 billion yuan (about $98.2 billion). These figures represent a significant increase from 110 million visits and 521.7 billion yuan in expenses in 2022, indicating the growing accessibility and utilization of healthcare services across the nation.
The report also noted that medical and healthcare services covered by the national healthcare insurance program have become more accessible. In 2023, 2.61 billion beneficial services were delivered to Chinese citizens, marking a 21.1 percent year-on-year increase.
China has established the world’s largest basic healthcare insurance network, covering over 95 percent of its citizens by the end of 2023. Centralized bulk drug procurement has been another effort to reduce medical expenses for the people. In 2023, two batches of purchases involving 80 drugs were conducted, leading to an average price cut of 57 percent.
Currently, more than 3,000 Western medicines and traditional Chinese medicines are included in the national basic healthcare insurance scheme. An increasing number of drugs for treating cancers and rare diseases have been added to the list, providing more comprehensive coverage for patients.
China has pledged to further reform its medical and healthcare systems. A series of measures have been outlined, including improving the public health system, upgrading services of community-level medical and healthcare institutions, and deepening the reform of public hospitals.
“A new round of updating the catalog of insurance-covered medicines has kicked off this year, which is expected to bring about more benefits to the people,” said Zhu Weiguo, an official in charge of medical insurance at the Peking Union Medical College Hospital.
Reference(s):
Report shows steady improvement of China's medical insurance system
cgtn.com
