Liaoning: The "Assisted Reproduction Insurance" originally planned to be implemented from July still needs further verification and calculation in Liaoning Province | Project | Liaoning
According to the "Leadership Message Board" of People's Daily Online on August 11th, in response to netizens' suggestions on "hoping to implement the inclusion of in vitro babies in medical insurance as soon as possible", the Liaoning Provincial Medical Security Bureau replied that the 18 reproductive projects originally planned to be implemented in the province on July 1st are forward-looking adjustments and further research and demonstration of supporting treatment policies are needed.
Previously, on May 17th, the Liaoning Provincial Medical Security Bureau responded to netizens' comments on "When will Liaoning include the IVF program in medical insurance?" It was revealed that on May 5th, 2023, the "Notice on Adjusting the Medical Service Project Catalogue of Liaoning Province's Basic Medical Insurance, Work Injury Insurance, and Maternity Insurance" was issued, and 18 assisted reproductive projects such as embryo cultivation and embryo transfer have been included in the Liaoning Province Maternity Insurance Catalogue. It is planned to be implemented throughout the province on July 1st, 2023.
Subsequently, the Liaoyang Municipal Medical Security Bureau and the Liaoyang Municipal Human Resources and Social Security Bureau also forwarded a notice on June 1 regarding the adjustment of the medical service project directory for basic medical insurance, work-related injury insurance, and maternity insurance in Liaoning Province. Among them, 18 medical service projects such as "follicle stimulating hormone ovulation prediction" were added as limited birth insurance payments, which will be implemented from July 1, 2023.
But on July 11th, the aforementioned netizen left a message to the Secretary of the Liaoning Provincial Party Committee on the "Leadership Message Board" on People's Daily, stating that the Liaoning Provincial Medical Insurance Bureau had replied that the province planned to implement in vitro baby medical insurance reimbursement from July 1st. Now it is mid July, and there is no news at all. Many people are closely monitoring and waiting. Family planning is of paramount importance, and many people have changed their plans due to this news. They are anxiously waiting and hope to pay attention to it and implement it as soon as possible.
On August 11th, the Liaoning Provincial Medical Security Bureau replied that in order to standardize the management of medical service projects in Liaoning Province and meet the medical service needs of insured people, in May 2023, the Liaoning Provincial Medical Security Bureau carried out the adjustment of the medical service project directory in our province, adjusting the medical insurance categories of 215 medical service items. It is planned to be implemented uniformly throughout the province on July 1st.
Given the cyclical nature of project directory adjustments, in accordance with the relevant requirements of the Guiding Opinions on Further Improving and Implementing Positive Reproductive Support Measures issued by 17 national ministries and commissions, the medical insurance categories of 18 reproductive projects have been prospectively adjusted, laying the foundation for future medical insurance payments for reproductive projects in Liaoning Province. Considering that reproductive projects are relatively special and complex, and there is no mature experience in formulating treatment policies in China to draw on, further research and demonstration of supporting treatment policies are needed. Liaoning Province is conducting data calculations on relevant expenses to ensure that insured individuals enjoy fair treatment within the fund's affordability.
Pengpai News noticed that on July 10th, the Dalian Medical Insurance Bureau of Liaoning Province revealed in a reply to netizens on People's Daily that the Provincial Medical Security Bureau and the Provincial Department of Human Resources and Social Security plan to include some human assisted reproductive technology projects in the diagnosis and treatment project directory of Liaoning Province in the near future. It is understood that provincial-level departments are currently preparing "service project codes", and the province can start this work after the relevant codes are issued.
In recent years, there has been a growing call across the country to include assisted reproductive services in medical insurance. In 2022, Beijing once planned to include 16 assisted reproductive technology projects in the reimbursement scope of Class A medical insurance. However, in April 2022, the Beijing official revealed that "according to the requirements of the National Medical Insurance Bureau, the inclusion of assisted reproductive technology service projects in the medical insurance payment scope in Beijing is temporarily suspended. The National Medical Insurance Bureau is conducting comprehensive research on relevant policies, and Beijing will strictly implement them in accordance with national regulations." On June 15 this year, the Beijing Medical Insurance Bureau issued a notice that starting from July 1, 16 therapeutic assisted reproductive technology projects will be included in the reimbursement scope of basic medical insurance in this city, and newborns born in Beijing can enjoy medical insurance benefits.
In addition, the Office of Social and Public Opinion Services of the Shanxi Provincial Party Committee revealed on June 30 this year in a reply to netizens on People's Daily that therapeutic assisted reproductive technology projects have been included in the medical insurance payment scope in provinces such as Beijing, Jiangsu, Zhejiang, and Guangdong, and Shanxi Province has not yet included them.
On August 16, 2022, 17 departments including the National Health Commission and the National Medical Insurance Administration issued the Guiding Opinions on Further Improving and Implementing Positive Fertility Support Measures, guiding local governments to comprehensively consider factors such as the affordability of medical insurance funds and relevant technical specifications, and gradually include suitable childbirth analgesia and assisted reproductive technology projects in the fund payment scope according to procedures.
Previously, the Notice on Issuing Opinions on the Management of Basic Medical Insurance Diagnosis and Treatment Projects, Scope of Medical Service Facilities, and Payment Standards for Urban Employees jointly formulated by the former Ministry of Labor and Social Security and five other ministries stipulated that "diagnosis and treatment projects for various infertility and sexual dysfunction" belong to the diagnosis and treatment projects that are not covered by basic medical insurance.