China outlines success of pilot care program

China's long-term care insurance program now covers nearly 300 million people and has benefited more than 3.3 million individuals with disabilities, according to the National Healthcare Security Administration.

Since 2016, China has piloted long-term care insurance in 49 cities across the country. The program aims to cover part of the costs for daily living assistance — such as help with eating and bathing — as well as basic medical services like routine wound dressing for people with disabilities.

During the 14th Five-Year Plan period (2021-2025), the program has reduced nursing care expenses for the public by more than 60 billion yuan ($8.5 billion), the administration announced at a conference on Monday in Ningbo, Zhejiang province.

The insurance initiative has also supported the growth of the elderly care service sector and the broader health industry. Since 2021, the program has drawn over 50 billion yuan in social capital investment into related fields across the 49 pilot cities.

The number of designated long-term care service institutions has surpassed 8,800, and the workforce of nursing professionals has expanded to 300,000. Both figures represent an increase of more than 50 percent since the start of 2021.

Looking ahead to the 15th Five-Year Plan period (2026-2030), the administration aims to further advance the long-term care insurance program and enhance the quality and supply of related services.