Exclusive: China to Launch National Disability Care Insurance System
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China is poised to launch a national insurance system to provide care and financial support to disabled people as early as the end of this month, according to sources familiar with the matter, putting such services on a firmer financial footing as the country’s population rapidly ages.
The policy document outlining the system has been finalized by the relevant authorities and submitted to the central government for review, Caixin has learned. The national rollout, which is expected either at the end of this year or in early 2025, will expand on pilot programs that have been implemented in around 50 cities since 2016.
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- China plans to launch a national insurance system for disabled citizens by either the end of this year or early 2025, expanding from pilot programs in 49 cities with 183 million participants by 2023.
- The policy involves contributions from both working and retired individuals, adjusting by age and income, and will standardize services with third-party disability assessments.
- As of 2023, China had around 45 million disabled seniors, and the population over 60 is projected to reach over 400 million by 2035.
- Since 2016：
- Pilot long-term care insurance programs have been implemented in around 50 cities, including Beijing and Shanghai.
- From 2016 to 2023：
- 49 cities including Beijing and Shanghai launched pilot long-term care insurance programs.
- By the end of 2023：
- China's population of people aged 60 or older rose to nearly 297 million, accounting for 21.1% of the country's total.
- As of the end of 2023：
- China was home to around 45 million disabled senior citizens, accounting for around 15% of people aged 60 or above.
- By July 2024：
- The National Healthcare Security Administration released data indicating that around 183 million people participated in the pilot programs with over 1.3 million people receiving related benefits.
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