Wang Wenjun, deputy director of the National Medical Insurance Administration: The maternity insurance system will be improved from three aspects

China News Service, September 4. The State Council Information Office held a press conference on September 4 on promoting the high-quality development of medical insurance and better serving the Chinese-style modernization drive. At the meeting, a reporter asked that in 2026, many places have implemented measures such as zero out-of-pocket expenses within the scope of hospital delivery policies and direct payment of maternity benefits to individuals. How can the National Medical Insurance Administration further improve the maternity insurance system and better support the construction of a fertility-friendly society?

Wang Wenjun, deputy director of the National Medical Insurance Administration, said that as of now, the number of people insured by maternity insurance has reached 260 million, and 193 coordinated areas in 22 provinces have included flexible employment personnel in the coverage. 303 coordinated areas in 28 provinces have implemented “no out-of-pocket payment” for individuals hospitalized for childbirth within the scope of the policy. All provinces have included appropriate assisted reproductive technology in the scope of payment, and labor analgesia has been fully included in medical insurance reimbursement. In the first seven months of this year, the maternity insurance fund spent 78.42 billion yuan, benefiting 25.56 million people, of which 60.78 billion yuan was spent on maternity allowances, which were directly distributed to individuals.

Wang Wenjun said that during the "15th Five-Year Plan" period, the maternity insurance system will continue to be improved and targeted efforts will be made from three aspects to better support the construction of a fertility-friendly society.

First, continue to expand coverage. Actively adapt to the development of new businesses and new economies, and vigorously promote flexible employment personnel, migrant workers, and people with new employment forms who participate in employee medical insurance to participate in maternity insurance simultaneously, so that more couriers, online ride-hailing drivers, freelancers, etc. can enjoy maternity insurance protection, which can not only reimburse medical expenses, but also enjoy maternity subsidies.

Second, continue to reduce burdens. Reasonably improve the level of prenatal examination guarantees, and guide local governments to explore and formulate basic service packages covering basic pregnancy examinations such as fetal heart rate monitoring and obstetric ultrasound, which can be paid according to outpatient chronic disease benefits; continue to improve the management of medical insurance payment for assisted reproductive technology projects to further reduce the burden of medical expenses on relevant personnel; promote the basic realization of "no out-of-pocket payment" for individuals in hospital births within the scope of the policy; use full-process protection, full-chain burden reduction, and full-cycle protection to make maternal burdens lighter and pregnancy and childbirth worry-free.

Third, continue to provide convenience to the people. Promote the reform of medical insurance payment methods to extend to maternity medical expense protection, continuously optimize maternity insurance handling services, and further expand the scope of direct settlement of maternity medical-related expenses in other places to make maternity security more warm and high-quality.