The Jiangsu Provincial Healthcare Security Administration is reportedly considering adding all psychological diagnosis and treatment items to the basic medical insurance (BMI) payment scope. The move aims to standardize payment categories, ratios, and standards on a provincial scale, with implementation expected by the end of October this year.
Background and Proposal
During the Jiangsu Provincial People’s Congress earlier this year, representatives proposed including all psychological diagnostic and treatment services in the medical insurance payment scope in an orderly manner. This proposal has been prioritized, reflecting the province’s commitment to enhancing mental health care.
Current Coverage and Expansion
Currently, Jiangsu has 50 psychological diagnosis and treatment items, with 25 already covered by the BMI scheme. The annual medical insurance fund outlay for these services exceeds RMB 550 million (USD 79.4 million). Last year, nearly 170,000 people in Jiangsu received psychological treatment, with related medical expenses reaching over RMB 24 million (USD 3.4 million), averaging about RMB 140 (USD 20.23) per visit.
Infrastructure Development
In the first half of this year, Jiangsu added 2,243 mental health prevention and control beds across the province’s 13 cities and 95 counties. The province has also strengthened its network of professional mental health prevention and control technology management agencies. Currently, there are 103 psychiatric medical institutions and 253 hospitals in Jiangsu providing psychotherapy services, which are expected to be included in the designated scope of medical insurance.
Special Disease Coverage
Patients with one of seven serious mental disorders, including schizophrenia, who do not receive inpatient or outpatient treatment, will be covered by the province’s unified outpatient and special disease security policy. This policy features no payment threshold and a reimbursement ratio no lower than the inpatient reimbursement ratio in medical institutions of the same level.-Fineline Info & Tech
