Beijing, December 24 (Shao Meng) Improving the support measures for maternity medical security has become one of the important measures to encourage childbirth in various places. **It is noted that recently, Chengdu, Sichuan, Zhoukou, Henan, Urumqi, Xinjiang and other places have intensively issued notices to further improve the treatment of maternity medical security.
On December 21, the National Health Insurance Administration also said in its reply to the deputies' suggestions that it would guide local governments to do a solid job in maternity insurance and basic medical insurance, consolidate and expand the coverage of maternity insurance, and strengthen the protection of maternity medical expenses.
Many places plan to improve maternity medical security benefits.
In some places, it was said that "it will be greatly improved".
On December 18, the Urumqi Municipal Medical Insurance Bureau issued the "Notice on Adjusting the Relevant Policies of Urumqi Maternity Medical Security Treatment", stating that from January 1, 2024, the maternity medical security treatment of unit employees, flexible employment personnel and insured persons participating in the basic medical insurance for urban and rural residents will be adjusted and improved.
The interpretation document released on the same day shows that compared with the previous policy, the maternity treatment of employees of Urumqi units has been greatly improved. For example, the cost of hospital delivery for female employees has been increased from 2,000 yuan to 4,500 yuan, and the cost of cesarean section has been increased from 3,500 yuan to 7,500 yuan. For flexibly employed persons who participate in the basic medical insurance for employees, the requirements for the payment period to be met when enjoying maternity benefits have also been further relaxed.
Data map: In an infant care service guidance center, staff guide parents and children to interact and play games. Photo by Liu Lixin.
Not long ago, on December 12, the Chengdu Municipal Medical Insurance Bureau issued the "Notice on Optimizing and Adjusting Matters Related to the Maternity Medical Security Treatment (Draft for Comments)", which intends to adjust the maternity medical security treatment of urban employees and urban and rural residents, involving prenatal examination fees and maternity medical expenses, and a number of subsidies and payment standards have been increased after the adjustment. It is mentioned that insured female employees can receive a subsidy of up to 6,000 yuan for single birth, and an additional 1,000 yuan for each additional baby that produces multiple births.
According to incomplete statistics, in the past two months, in addition to the above two places, Jiangxi Province, Zhoukou, Henan, Luoyang, Henan, Hubei and other places have also issued notices to further improve the level of maternity medical security treatment for basic medical insurance participants.
National Health Insurance Administration: Strengthen the protection of maternity medical expenses.
We are studying and improving maternity insurance policies and measures.
On December 21, the National Health Insurance Administration said in response to the relevant suggestions of the deputies on "strengthening the protection of maternity medical expenses and treatment, and unifying and standardizing the payment policy of maternity allowances" that the proposal is consistent with the work direction of the National Health Insurance Bureau, and the relevant work is being actively promoted.
According to the reply, the medical expenses incurred by women due to childbirth are covered by corresponding policy arrangements. Employed women participate in maternity insurance with their employers, and maternity medical expenses such as prenatal examinations, hospital deliveries, and family planning surgeries are paid by maternity insurance in accordance with regulations. Unemployed or flexibly employed women can participate in basic medical insurance according to regulations and enjoy corresponding maternity medical expenses.
According to reports, in July this year, the National Health Insurance Administration issued the "Notice on Doing a Good Job in Basic Medical Security for Urban and Rural Residents in 2023", which clearly requires strengthening the protection of maternity medical expenses for residents' medical insurance, and is also studying and improving maternity insurance policies and measures as required, and striving to reduce the burden of maternity medical expenses on the insured people.
The National Health Insurance Administration said that in the next step, it will guide local governments to do a solid job in maternity insurance and basic medical insurance, consolidate and expand the coverage of maternity insurance, strengthen the protection of maternity medical expenses, enhance the system guarantee function, and better protect the rights and interests of the insured in maternity and medical security. (ENDS).