Insurance can’t cover COVID-19 vaccines yet

In response to a recent proposal by a people’s congress deputy that the expenses for getting oneself vaccinated against COVID-19 be met by medical insurance, the National Healthcare Security Administration said that China’s current funding for basic medical insurance is not enough to cover vaccination fees for the time being.

In 2019, the per capita medical insurance funding for urban and rural residents was about 800 yuan ($119). Given the large number of people awaiting vaccination, the total cost is expected to be very high — beyond the capacity of the country’s medical insurance fund, the authorities said.

As the date for the launch of the COVID-19 vaccine nears, everybody’s attention is on its price. It needs to be said that for a preventive vaccine, the lower the price is, the more widely it is going to be used. Only in this way can vaccines play a greater role in preventing the spread of COVID-19. To achieve this goal, COVID-19 vaccination cost should be included in the medical insurance system.

However, considering the pandemic and the balance of payment situation of the country’s medical insurance, the proposal lacks room for operability.

As emphasized by the healthcare administration, China’s medical insurance financing level remains low, and with more people getting covered under social security, the expenses are rising. As a result, the funds earmarked for medical insurance remain insufficient in some regions. Against this backdrop, it makes sense to earmark funds for only basic diseases, leaving more funds aside for life-saving drugs and treatment.

Although a COVID-19 vaccine will be critical to public health and safety, it is not urgent enough to be covered by medical insurance because of its “non-therapeutic” nature and the fact that the epidemic situation in China is largely under control. Not to forget the increased public enthusiasm, because of which costs are going to be astronomical enough for medical insurance to fall into deep deficits, sparking a chain reaction.

Considering that the price of a COVID-19 vaccine is controlled by the government, its temporary exclusion from medical insurance does not mean that people’s basic needs are not guaranteed. The treatment for COVID-19 will be added to the national medical insurance directory when it is adjusted by the end of the year.

Of course, in the long run COVID-19 vaccines are likely to be included in medical insurance reimbursements.