Ten regions bring fertility treatment under reimbursement programs

Ten provincial-level regions in China will cover fertility treatment under their medical reimbursement programs, the National Healthcare Security Administration said on Friday.

Expanding basic insurance coverage of assisted fertility technologies is an important measure toward building a fertility-friendly society and promoting long term and balanced development of demography.

The administration said that Beijing, Guangxi Zhuang autonomous region, Gansu province and Inner Mongolia autonomous region were among the first to reimburse fertility treatment bills nationwide. This year, six regions, including the provinces of Shanghai and Zhejiang, have followed suit so far.

Since Guangxi decided to cover fertility treatment under its basic insurance program in November, the number of outpatient visits to fertility treatment clinics reached more than 990,000 within six months, a rise of 14.74 percent from the same period of the previous year, said the administration.