In 2026, these new healthcare policies will benefit you and me

The beginning of a new era, everything is updated. 2026 is the starting year of the 15th Five Year Plan. Looking ahead to the healthcare sector, a series of new policies will be implemented one after another, benefiting you and me.
Expanding the scope of new drug consumables to include new grassroots medication is more convenient
On January 1, 2026, in the Maternal and Child Health Care Hospital of Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, a patient with breast cancer received the innovative drug Enalisex; The first medical insurance prescription for the treatment of thyroid eye disease with trastuzumab N01 injection was issued at the Ninth People's Hospital Affiliated to Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine
Today, the new version of the national medical insurance drug catalog has been launched nationwide, and 114 new drugs have been insured, covering many fields such as cancer, diabetes, and rare diseases. The first edition of the commercial insurance innovative drug catalog has also been launched simultaneously, and 19 innovative drugs will provide reference for the product design of commercial insurance companies, further enriching the level of protection.
The latest batch of centralized procurement will be launched in February 2026. Among the 55 kinds of drugs, there are anti allergic asthma drugs such as desloratadine, diabetes drugs such as metformin and enggligin, and antiviral drugs such as oseltamivir; A new batch of high-value medical consumables procurement organized by the country has also been launched and will open for bidding on January 13, 2026, to purchase consumables such as drug coated balloons and urinary interventions.
According to the relevant person in charge of the State Health Insurance Administration, in 2026, we will continue to carry out the centralized purchase of new batches of drugs and high-value medical consumables organized by the state, and continue to promote the purchase of traditional Chinese patent medicines and simple preparations and Chinese herbal pieces by the National Alliance.
Since the 14th Five Year Plan, the proportion of diagnosis and treatment in primary medical institutions has remained above 50% of the national total. The adequacy of primary drug supply and the completeness of product categories directly affect the public's sense of medical satisfaction.
In order to provide the public with more convenient and high-quality medication services at their doorstep, the National Health Commission has clarified that primary healthcare institutions should be equipped with at least five categories of antihypertensive drugs, including angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors and angiotensin II receptor blockers, starting from March 1, 2026.
Having children and raising them gives more confidence, while being disabled ensures a warmer heart
The personal experience of a insured pregnant woman in Jiangsu who said 'You don't have to pay for giving birth!' is gradually benefiting more families. Starting from July 1, 2025, Jiangsu Province will implement a "zero out of pocket" policy for hospital delivery, which means that expenses within the scope of medical insurance are jointly borne by medical insurance reimbursement and financial subsidies, and individuals no longer need to pay out of pocket.
Currently, 7 provinces in China have achieved full coverage of hospitalization and childbirth medical expenses within the policy scope. In 2026, this welfare will be further expanded, striving to achieve the basic policy of "no self payment" for individuals giving birth within the scope of the policy nationwide, and reasonably improving the level of medical expenses guarantee for prenatal check ups.
In 2026, childcare subsidies will continue to be open for application; Promote the inclusion of flexible employment personnel, migrant workers, and new forms of employment in the coverage of maternity insurance; Incorporate appropriate childbirth pain relief programs into medical insurance according to procedures; Fully realize the direct distribution of maternity allowance to insured persons; Accelerate the direct settlement of medical expenses for childbirth across provinces and regions; 13 departments have issued documents to launch the "Five Health" promotion action, caring for the healthy growth of children... A series of "hard measures" continue to heat up, adding confidence to the birth and raising of children.
Guarding the 'one child, one elderly' reflects the warmth of people's livelihood.
I used to take care of my disabled spouse, which was tiring and confusing. Now, professional caregivers come to our doorstep for service, and our whole family is relieved! "Speaking of long-term care insurance, Aunt Wang from Jinan, Shandong is full of gratitude.
At present, long-term care insurance mainly targets severely disabled individuals, and in some areas, moderate disabled individuals have been included in the coverage.
In 2026, the action plan to enhance the capacity of elderly care services will be fully launched: second level and above comprehensive hospitals and traditional Chinese medicine hospitals will standardize the establishment of geriatric medicine departments, promote the extension of elderly care services within institutions to communities and homes, and improve the nursing service system covering acute diagnosis and treatment, chronic rehabilitation, stable care, and end-stage palliative care for the elderly population
During the 15th Five Year Plan period, long-term care insurance will shift from pilot to comprehensive establishment, gradually covering all insured persons.
Convenient medical treatment, implementation of detailed medical insurance fund, safety and orderliness
Medical insurance imaging cloud is like a cloud album, collecting patients' imaging diagnosis and treatment information. Relying on this platform, patients do not need to carry thick films back and forth, and also avoid the trouble of repeated examinations.
In 2026, the scope of cross provincial and cross regional access and sharing of image data will be further expanded, and mutual recognition of inspection and examination results among medical institutions will also reach a new level. It is expected that by the end of 2027, there will be over 300 mutual recognition projects between medical institutions within each province; There are over 200 mutual recognition projects for medical institutions in regions such as Beijing Tianjin Hebei, Yangtze River Delta, and Chengdu Chongqing.
By 2025, 4845 secondary and tertiary public comprehensive hospitals will be able to provide pediatric services, and counties with a permanent population of over 100000 will have the ability to provide hemodialysis services... In 2026, the National Health Commission will continue to implement a number of practical projects to serve the people.
By 2026, cross provincial mutual assistance in the use of employee medical insurance personal account funds will be fully realized. We will comprehensively deepen the application of facial recognition payment, one code payment, mobile payment, and credit payment, and strive to significantly reduce the phenomenon of hospital queuing for payment within about 3 years.
The safety valve of the medical insurance fund will continue to be tightened. Starting from January 1, 2026, all pharmaceutical institutions must achieve full collection and uploading of drug traceability codes.
As the only "electronic ID card" for each box of drugs, the drug traceability code covers multiple aspects such as production, circulation, and use. It will continue to effectively crack down on illegal and irregular use of medical insurance funds such as reselling and returning drugs, and effectively safeguard the "medical expenses" and "life-saving expenses" of the public.