Can the ＂test-tube baby＂ and other projects enter the medical insurance as scheduled？ Guangxi responded

　　On October 27th, the Medical Security Bureau of Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region issued a notice. From November 1st, Guangxi will include some therapeutic assisted reproductive medical services such as ovum retrieval into the basic medical insurance and industrial injury insurance fund. As soon as the news came out, it caused widespread concern. Previously, Beijing, Liaoning and other places announced that they would suspend the implementation of the policy after determining the landing time of the assisted reproductive medical service project into medical insurance. Liaoning Province has not yet announced the next plan for the assisted reproductive medical service project into medical insurance.

　　In this regard, the staff of the Medical Service Management Office of the Medical Insurance Bureau of Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region told the Red Star journalist that at present, the medical insurance bureau has decided that the policy will be finalized on November 1, and the relevant policies have not only been filed with the state, but also distributed to hospitals. A press conference will be organized for this purpose.

　　The Notice of the Health and Health Committee of the Autonomous Region of the Human Resources and Social Security Department of the Medical Insurance Bureau of Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region on Including Some Therapeutic Assisted Reproductive Medical Services in the Payment Scope of Basic Medical Insurance and Industrial Injury Insurance Fund mentioned that some therapeutic assisted reproductive medical services such as "Ovulation" were included in the payment scope of basic medical insurance and industrial injury insurance fund; When the insured enjoys the basic medical insurance benefits, there is no fund qifubiaozhun, and the reimbursement rates of basic medical insurance for employees and basic medical insurance for urban and rural residents are 70% and 50% respectively, which are included in the maximum payment limit of the annual fund of the insured.

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　　"IVF" fee is included in medical insurance

　　Beijing once "pressed the pause button"

　　It is worth noting that the inclusion of "test-tube baby" medical services in medical insurance in various places is not overnight. Beijing, Liaoning and other places have suspended the implementation after determining the policy landing time.

　　In February, 2022, Beijing Medical Insurance Bureau, Beijing Municipal Health and Health Commission and Beijing Municipal Bureau of Human Resources and Social Security issued the Notice on Standardizing and Adjusting the Price of Some Medical Services, which included 16 assisted reproductive technology items such as intrauterine insemination, embryo transfer and sperm optimization in outpatient treatment into the scope of medical insurance category A reimbursement. The original policy was scheduled for sunset on March 26th, 2022, but in April, 2022, some netizens left a message on People’s Daily Online’s "Leadership Message Board", saying, "I went to the hospital and asked if there was no such policy. When will this be included in medical insurance, and will it be included in medical insurance?" Later, on April 13, Beijing Medical Insurance Bureau replied that after verification, according to the relevant provisions of the list of medical insurance benefits and the requirements of the National Medical Insurance Bureau, the inclusion of assisted reproductive technology services in this city in the scope of medical insurance payment was suspended.

　　After a year’s suspension, Beijing put the "Beijing Assisted Reproductive Technology Project into Medical Insurance" on the agenda again, and it will be implemented on July 1 this year.

　　On May 5, 2023, the Notice on Adjusting the Catalogue of Medical Services for Basic Medical Insurance, Work Injury Insurance and Maternity Insurance in Liaoning Province (Liao Medical Insurance [2023] No.33) was issued. The Notice mentioned that 18 assisted reproductive projects, such as embryo culture and embryo transfer, were included in the catalogue of maternity insurance in Liaoning Province, and it was planned to be implemented in the whole province on July 1, 2023. Later, the Liaoning Provincial Medical Insurance Bureau replied to the "Leadership Message Board" of People’s Daily in August, saying that the 18 reproductive projects originally planned to be implemented in the province on July 1 were forward-looking adjustments, and further research and demonstration of supporting treatment policies were needed.

　　At present, Liaoning province has not yet announced the next plan for assisted reproductive projects to enter medical insurance.

　　This time, will it be smooth for Guangxi to "include some therapeutic assisted reproductive medical services in the scope of basic medical insurance and industrial injury insurance funds"? The staff of the Medical Service Management Office of the Medical Insurance Bureau of Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region said that at present, the medical insurance bureau has determined that the policy will be finalized on November 1, and the relevant policies have not only been filed with the state, but also distributed to hospitals.

　　▲ Screenshot of relevant policy documents in Guangxi

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　　New measures will be implemented in Guangxi from November 1st.

　　"IVF" and other medical insurance ushered in a turning point?

　　In 2021, data from the National Bureau of Statistics showed that the infertility rate of couples of childbearing age in China had climbed to about 12%-18%.

　　In February, 2022, Beijing Municipal Medical Insurance Bureau, Beijing Municipal Health and Health Commission and Beijing Municipal Bureau of Human Resources and Social Security issued the Notice on Standardizing and Adjusting the Price Items of Some Medical Services, which included 16 assisted reproductive technology items such as intrauterine insemination, embryo transfer and sperm optimization treatment, which are common in outpatient treatment, into the scope of medical insurance category A reimbursement.

　　On July 25th, 2022, 17 ministries and commissions, including the National Medical Insurance Bureau, issued the Guiding Opinions on Further Perfecting and Implementing Active Fertility Support Measures (Guo Wei Population Fa [2022] No.26), guiding local governments to comprehensively consider the affordability of medical insurance (including maternity insurance) funds and the standardization of related technologies, and gradually bring appropriate labor analgesia and assisted reproductive technology items into the scope of medical insurance payment according to procedures.

　　In the same year, Hunan, Hubei, Zhejiang and other places successively released the news that they planned to include assisted reproductive technology projects in medical insurance.

　　In 2022, Hunan Medical Insurance Bureau replied on Hunan Minsheng. com that in terms of diagnosis and treatment projects, relevant management measures will be introduced as soon as possible, and on the basis of scientific calculation and full demonstration, the mature, safe, reliable and cost-controllable therapeutic assisted reproductive technology that medical insurance can undertake will be gradually explored into the scope of medical insurance payment according to procedures. In response to netizens’ suggestions, Shandong Province also said that it will conscientiously implement the national medical insurance catalogue management policy according to the requirements of national unified deployment, and based on the positioning of "guaranteeing the basics", on the basis of scientific calculation and full demonstration, gradually bring the technically mature, safe and reliable medical treatment projects that medical insurance can bear into the scope of medical insurance payment according to procedures.

　　However, since then, the implementation of relevant policies has been slightly weak, and the pause button has been pressed for medical items such as "test-tube baby".

　　In May, 2022, Anhui Medical Insurance Bureau said in response to the consultation of netizens: "Similar policies in other provinces and cities have been suspended. At present, the conditions for incorporating IVF and other assisted reproductive technologies into medical insurance are not yet mature. The Provincial Medical Insurance Bureau will continue to pay attention to this issue and include it in the scope of medical insurance payment in a timely manner in accordance with relevant state regulations. "

　　Many senior practitioners said in an interview with the media later that the suspension of similar policies may be related to "money".

　　Wang Xuemei, director of reproductive medicine department of South China Hospital affiliated to Shenzhen University, said in an interview with national business daily that besides money, this may have something to do with the fact that consumer medical services such as assisted reproduction do not conform to the principle of "guaranteeing the basics" of national medical insurance. "Considering China’s large population, and the cost of assisted reproduction itself is relatively expensive, it is not a small expenditure. Moreover, people may think that having children is less urgent than other life-threatening diseases. So from this perspective, it may be the reason for the suspension of medical insurance. "

　　With the passage of time, assisted reproductive technology projects have ushered in a turning point in medical insurance.

　　In May 2023, Shi Zihai, deputy director of the National Health Insurance Bureau, said at the press conference of the State Council Office that the National Health Insurance Bureau had issued a document to guide local governments to gradually include appropriate labor analgesia and assisted reproductive technology projects into the scope of medical insurance fund payment according to regulations.

　　In July, 16 therapeutic assisted reproductive technology projects were included in the reimbursement scope of basic medical insurance in Beijing. When the policy was released, there were 16 designated medical institutions with basic medical insurance in Beijing that could provide assisted reproductive technology services.

　　In October, Guangxi officially issued the Notice of the Health and Health Committee of the Autonomous Region of the Human Resources and Social Security Department of the Autonomous Region Medical Insurance Bureau on Including Some Therapeutic Assisted Reproductive Medical Services in the Payment Scope of Basic Medical Insurance and Industrial Injury Insurance Fund.

　　Red Star journalist Wang Chenyuan