China is expanding medical insurance accounts to
enable them to be shared among immediate family members rather than
reserved for personal use.
Set up in 1998, the State-level medical insurance system allows only
insured employees to use their personal account to cover their own
expenses at medical institutions.
Under a reform guideline released by the General Office of the State
Council on Thursday, immediate family members-including spouses, parents
and children-will be able to use the personal account of the insured.
Their expenses incurred when purchasing medical devices, medicines
and medical consumables at designated pharmaceutical stores can also be
covered, the guideline said.
Speaking at a news conference organized by the State Council
Information Office, Chen Jinfu, deputy head of the National Healthcare
Security Administration, said that social progress in recent years and
people's increasing need for a more convenient life have prompted the
policy reform.
Another reason for the reform is preventing medical insurance fraud and enhancing management of the use of personal accounts.
"In the past, most of the people spent their money in medical
insurance accounts in pharmaceutical stores, where they can buy vacuum
cups and healthcare products," which are excluded from the nation's
healthcare insurance system, Chen said. "We will perform more strict and
comprehensive management of these behaviors."
Fan Weidong, the administration's payment security director, added
that the reform defines who is included in the personal accounts as well
as their scope.
"Expenses for sports, public health costs and health maintenance
products can't be covered by the personal account," he said. "We will
also take strict measures to crack down on insurance fraud to secure the
rights of the insured."
According to a news release issued by the administration, all levels
of government are required to launch specific measures for
implementation by the end of this year and take three years to
accomplish the reform.
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