China Moves Toward Free Childbirth to Tackle Demographic Crisis
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China is intensifying its efforts to incentivize childbearing by proposing to make hospital deliveries free of charge, the latest step in a broad campaign to reverse the country’s deepening demographic decline.
The National Healthcare Security Administration, the country’s medical-insurance regulator, set out plans at a meeting last week to eliminate out-of-pocket costs for childbirth within policy limits. The agency also aims to expand insurance coverage for labor analgesia, or epidurals, a service that has historically been underutilized in China due to cost and a shortage of anesthesiologists.
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- China plans to make hospital deliveries free and expand insurance for epidurals to counter its demographic decline.
- In 2024, maternity insurance spending rose 34% to 143.18 billion yuan ($19.75 billion); insurance schemes currently cover 40%-55% of total maternity costs.
- High childbirth expenses still burden families; some provinces and cities reimburse up to 80%, and local governments are increasing subsidies, especially for rural and gig workers.
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