A number of Chinese cities recently ramped up their efforts for the reimbursement of medical bills for fertility services to relieve childbearing parents' financial pressure, with highly expected in-vitro fertilization (IVF) also being covered in some cities' basic medical insurance system.
Starting from February 1, Northwest China's Gansu Province will include 12 assisted reproductive medical services, such as oocyte retrieval, within the scope of basic medical insurance payment.
The infertility rate among couples of childbearing age in China has risen from 12 percent in 2007 to 18 percent in 2020 , China Central Television reported in 2021. Assisted reproductive technology is an important method for treating infertility, which refers to the use of medical assistance to help infertile couples conceive. This includes artificial insemination (IUI), gamete transplantation, in vitro fertilization-embryo transfer (IVF-ET), with artificial insemination and in vitro fertilization (IVF) being the most widely used techniques.
The IVF usually requires a substantial financial commitment, with costs amounting to tens of thousands of yuan as it often takes multiple attempts to achieve success.
Earlier 2023, Beijing and South China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region also rolled out the same benefits. More provinces including Central China's Henan Province and Northwest China's Shaanxi Province are on their way to implementing reimbursements for assisted reproductive technology as part of the medical insurance .
Meanwhile, more places are increasing the basic medical benefits for childbirth. Baoji, a city in Northwest China's Shaanxi recently issued eight measures to optimize fertility policies. These measures include covering the cost of prenatal examinations in designated medical institutions, increasing the subsidy standards for urban employees from 300 yuan ($42.1) to 800 yuan, and providing a subsidy of 500 yuan for urban and rural residents, all of which will be provided as a one-time subsidy when settling hospital delivery medical expenses.
Furthermore, Jiangxi Province will increase reimbursement levels for medical expenses related to childbirth for female employees and unemployed spouses of male employees. The maximum payment limit for outpatient childbirth will be increased from an original 800 yuan to 1200 yuan.
