A senior member of China's highest political advisory body has called for long-term care insurance to be made compulsory.
Mr Zhou Hanmin, a member of the Standing Committee of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, speaking at the 2024 Lujiazui Forum which commenced on 19 June, said that in 2016, China first piloted a long-term care insurance scheme in 15 cities. At present, the scheme is implemented in 49 cities, covers 170m people while the number of beneficiaries is 1.2m. He also said that among the 1.41bn people in China, 297m are aged over 60, of whom 210m are over 65 years old.
Mr Zhou gave five suggestions to improve and promote long-term care insurance.
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Long-term care insurance is to be made compulsory. He cited the experience of Japan and Germany, pointing out that their long-term care insurance is compulsory, covering all people, but age stratified. "We have had eight years of pilot projects, and long-term care insurance should be promoted nationwide. It is urgent.”
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Long-term care insurance needs to have legislation and regulation for it to be implemented widely.
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The financing sources of long-term care should be diversified, comprising fiscal subsidies, medical insurance and out-of-pocket payments.
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Insurance companies should set up special departments to engage in this branch.
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Unified national standards are needed for long-term care services. The various difference localities can adapt to local conditions, but they must not deviate too far from the standard. At the same time, there is a need for qualification and training of service providers. "Frankly speaking, China trains so many college students, and the profession of long-term care should be elevated to a professional field that higher education urgently needs to strengthen," Mr Zhou said.