In 2024, the medical insurance payment standards for urban and rural residents in mainland China have once again increased by 20 yuan (RMB) compared to last year, sparking widespread attention and heated discussions online. Netizens are questioning, “The fees keep rising every year; when will it end?” The burden of medical insurance costs is particularly heavy for multi-member families.
On August 26, the Chinese National Medical Insurance Administration, together with the Ministry of Finance and the State Taxation Administration, issued a notice stating that the individual payment standard for residents’ medical insurance contributions has increased by 20 yuan compared to last year, reaching a minimum of 400 yuan per person annually.
The news immediately ignited discussions online, with many netizens expressing frustration over the recurrent rise in the medical insurance payment standards for urban and rural residents. The speed of increase in medical insurance fees in recent years has been escalating rapidly. From 380 yuan last year to 400 yuan now; with fees rising every year, is there no limit? When will it stop? Are the voices of the common people being ignored?
Some netizens believe that individuals under 12 should be exempt from fees, those aged 13 to 18 should pay half, those from 19 to 60 should pay the regular fee, those from 60 to 70 should pay half, and those above 70 should be fully exempt, which they consider fair and reasonable.
Blogger “Jane” stated that the announcement of the 2024 residents’ medical insurance payment standard took many residents by surprise, especially the unexpected increase of 20 yuan in individual payments, which has become a hot topic of discussion. The additional 20 yuan this year has put significant pressure on many residents.
Shanghai self-media influencer “Haoge” mentioned that the further increase in the medical insurance payment standards for urban and rural residents in 2024 undoubtedly adds a new economic burden on ordinary large families.
He explained that the official statement mentioning the individual payment for residents’ medical insurance should not be less than 400 yuan per person annually indicates that the specific payment amount may vary depending on the region, potentially even higher. Therefore, the annual medical insurance payment amounts for residents in different regions can differ, ranging from not less than 400 yuan to possibly 500–900 yuan.
“For the older generation, the dissatisfaction with the rise in individual medical insurance payments from 10 yuan in 2003 to 400 yuan now is palpable.”
“Haoge” further expressed that for individual members in large families, especially in rural areas, the cumulative medical insurance costs could be quite burdensome. Moreover, some families pay yearly but have never truly benefitted from medical insurance reimbursements. Hence, they may question the value of this expense.
“Faced with the continual increase in medical insurance costs, people’s frustration is evident. Is the trend of rising residents’ medical insurance fees over the past twenty years still ongoing? When will it end?” he pondered.
Many netizens stated that they do not want to pay for medical insurance and questioned whether the public would support the increased payment.
Some netizens calculated that based on the latest standards, a family of four would need to pay 1600 yuan annually, and a family of six would need to pay 2400 yuan, placing a heavy burden on residents, which is a primary reason why many are unwilling to pay.
To enforce the continuity of payments, the authorities have set a condition in the medical insurance policy where interrupting payments would lead to an extended waiting period to enjoy medical insurance benefits.
A blogger from Henan, “Serious Warm Sun,” pointed out that despite medical insurance seeming optional, it is de facto mandatory.
He explained that there is a waiting period after discontinuing medical insurance payments. If payments are interrupted and then resumed, individuals need to wait three months after payment before they can avail themselves of medical benefits. The waiting period increases by a month for every year of interruption. For instance, if there is a payment interruption within a year, after resuming payments, there is a three-month waiting period; if there is a one-year interruption, after resuming payments, four months are required before benefits can be used; with a two-year interruption, a five-month wait is necessary; and for interruptions of four years or more, benefits can only be enjoyed half a year after resuming payments. This restriction limits the options for those considering discontinuing medical insurance.
He revealed that an increasing number of people in rural China are reluctant to pay for medical insurance primarily because of the rising individual payment amounts. Some people rarely use medical insurance throughout the year, leading them to opt for discontinuing payments.
Blogger Lao Xu from Gansu mentioned that according to the 2023 statistics on medical insurance, the surplus of residents’ medical insurance is at its lowest in five years, standing at only 112 billion yuan. Coupled with the aging population and the continuous growth in medical expenses, in order to ensure the long-term stability of the medical insurance fund, the individual payment part has been further increased by 20 yuan.