Hot News... National Health Insurance Administration: gradually include assisted reproduction and other related costs into health insurance.

a few days ago, the population data released by the National Bureau of Statistics showed that at the end of 2022, the country's population was 1411.75 million, a decrease of 850000 from the end of the previous year, showing the first negative growth in nearly 61 years. This result is not surprising. In fact, the number of births and reproductive rates in my country have fallen sharply in recent years. Data from the seventh national census show that by 2020, China's total reproductive rate has dropped to the lowest level in 1.3 history.

birth population, including economic and social development factors, which lead to the low willingness of the masses to bear children. At the same time, the increase in infertility groups is also an important factor. With the acceleration of the pace of life, late marriage and late childbirth, induced abortion, bad living habits and diet and other factors on the reproductive system, infertility has become one of the modern diseases that plague more and more people. In 2021, data from the National Bureau of Statistics showed that the infertility rate of couples of childbearing age in my country has climbed to about 12%-18%.

for infertile couples, assisted reproductive technology can help fulfill the desire to have children. At present, the assisted reproductive technology in China has been relatively mature, but due to the high cost, it has greatly affected the popularization of assisted reproduction. In 2022, the coverage rate of assisted reproductive services in the United States will reach 32.5, while the coverage rate of assisted reproductive services in China is only 8.7, 23.8 percentage points lower than that of the United States. To this end, in recent years, some NPC deputies and CPPCC members have suggested that infertility treatment should be included in free medical care.

the people have a cry, and I have a response. On August 17, 2022, 17 departments including the National Health Commission and the National Development and Reform Commission issued the Guiding Opinions on Further Improving and Implementing Active Fertility Support Measures, proposing to guide local governments to comprehensively consider the affordability of medical insurance (including reproductive insurance) funds and related technologies. Factors such as standardization will gradually include appropriate labor analgesia and assisted reproductive technology projects into the scope of fund payment according to procedures.. Prior to this, in February 2022, the Beijing Municipal Medical Insurance Bureau took the lead in issuing a notice to include 16 assisted reproductive technologies such as intrauterine insemination and embryo transfer, which are common in outpatient clinics, into medical insurance. Subsequently, Hunan, Jiangxi, Sichuan, Hubei and other places have also announced plans to include assisted reproductive technology projects in medical insurance.

Now, in response to the relevant proposal, the National Medical Insurance Administration has made it clear that assisted reproductive technology will be gradually included in the scope of medical insurance payment, and traditional Chinese medicine hospitals are encouraged to set up eugenics clinics to provide infertility diagnosis and treatment services. In addition to direct reimbursement to reduce the medical burden of patients, the inclusion of assisted reproduction in medical insurance releases a positive signal of building a fertility-friendly society, and its demonstration effect and diffusion effect are worth looking forward.