New Rural Cooperative Medical System (New Rural Cooperative Medical Care)It is a mutual medical aid system for farmers organized, guided and supported by the government, with farmers voluntarily participating, with financing from individuals, collectives and the government, and focusing on overall planning of serious illnesses. Its main purpose is to solve the problem of farmers falling into poverty or returning to poverty due to illness, and to cover hospitalization, outpatient and other medical expenses. The content structure is divided intoDefinition and background, insurance participation methods, reimbursement policies, development status and social significanceThere are five parts, the core of which revolves around "inclusiveness" and "security".

The New Rural Cooperative Medical System was launched on a pilot basis in 2003 and is China's first medical security system for farmers. The insurance method is as follows:Based on household registration, farmers pay annual fees (the per capita standard in 2023 is about 350 yuan), and also enjoy financial subsidies (not less than 610 yuan per person per year). The reimbursement ratio fluctuates according to the level of the medical institution. It can reach 85% for township health centers and about 50%-60% for tertiary hospitals. The policy also tilts towards the poor, providing overlay protections such as critical illness insurance and medical assistance.

As for the reimbursement process, the New Rural Cooperative Medical System adopts"One-stop" instant settlement, the patient can directly deduct the expenses with his social security card when he is discharged from the hospital. Special diseases such as hypertension and diabetes are included in chronic disease management, and the annual reimbursement limit is up to 150,000 yuan. Data in 2022 show that the national insurance participation rate exceeds 98%, and the per capita financing standard has increased nearly 20 times compared with 2003 (see table below). This system has significantly reduced the medical burden of farmers, and the actual compensation ratio for hospitalization has increased from 35% to more than 70%.

The development of new rural cooperative medical system facesIncreasing agingandRising medical costsdual challenge. In some areas, the pressure on fund expenditures has increased. In this regard, the country has optimized management by promoting the reform of payment methods (such as payment by disease) and integrating the urban and rural medical insurance systems (incorporated into urban and rural residents' medical insurance from 2019). It is worth noting that the new rural cooperative medical insurance, basic medical insurance, and critical illness insurance form a three-layer protective network and play a key role in poverty alleviation.

In summary, the new rural cooperative medical system passed“Wide coverage, basic protection, and sustainability”The principle of rural poverty alleviation has become the core policy of rural health poverty alleviation. In the future, it is necessary to further strengthen primary medical service capabilities, improve the settlement of medical treatment in other places, and explore the connection model with commercial insurance. This system is not only a milestone in the social security system, but also provides a Chinese solution for global rural medical care.

Quote sources:
1. National Medical Security Administration's "Statistical Bulletin on the Development of National Medical Security in 2022"
2. The State Council’s “Opinions on Integrating the Basic Medical Insurance System for Urban and Rural Residents” (Guofa [2016] No. 3)
3. World Health Organization "Case Study on China's Rural Health Care Reform"
Note: The New Rural Cooperative Medical System is a policy guarantee system and has no specific manufacturer or product.