"Six Keywords" to Help You Understand Long-Term Care Insurance | Part 3: "Severely Disabled Individuals"

The General Office of the Central Committee and the General Office of the State Council recently issued the “Opinions on Accelerating the Establishment of a Long-Term Care Insurance System,” requiring the basic establishment of a long-term care insurance system suited to China’s basic national conditions within about three years. This marks the transition of the long-term care insurance system from partial pilots to nationwide implementation.

Following the five major social insurances, the “sixth insurance” long-term care insurance, which groups of people does it cover? What benefits are provided? How is long-term care service supplied? A series of videos will interpret this for you through six key terms.

■ Keyword Three: “Severely Disabled Individuals”

The opinions specify that the long-term care insurance system in its initial stage will provide protection for severely disabled individuals.

Anyone who has been assessed as disabled and meets the conditions for benefits can enjoy corresponding care services and reimbursement. Zhang Xifan, deputy director of the Benefits Security Department of the National Healthcare Security Administration, introduced that in the initial stage of the system, the main focus is on providing support for “severely disabled individuals” who are bedridden for a long time, cannot take care of themselves, and require assistance from others. In the future, there will be unified research to expand this to include moderately disabled individuals, etc.

The supply of long-term care services is the foundation for the long-term care insurance system to function. What benefits can insured individuals actually enjoy?

Currently, insured individuals can choose from home care, community care, or institutional care. The state has already listed a nationwide unified directory of 36 care service items, including 20 daily living care projects such as assistance with eating, bathing, oral hygiene, and pressure sore care, as well as 16 medical care projects such as suction and catheterization.

Reporters: Sun Qing, Li Haiwei, Peng Yunjia, Xu Penghang

Director: Wang Zhuai

Produced by the Audio and Video Department of Xinhua News Agency