57 million covered by new long-term care insurance

Pilot program in 15 cities has included more than 70 percent of nursing costs

More than 57 million people in China are now covered by a new insurance program designed to provide care to those who have lost the ability to live alone, the National Healthcare Security Administration said.

The establishment of the long-term care insurance program has alleviated the burden on the families of elderly people no longer able to live on their own, for reasons including frailty and disability, and greatly improved the infirm's access to nursing services, according to the authority.