Hong Kong
CNN
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China is planning to offer free fertility treatment to citizens under its national insurance scheme in a bid to reverse its plummeting birth rate.
The National Healthcare Security Administration said on Friday it would extend its coverage to help shoulder the costs for families trying to conceive.
It said the new coverage would include assisted reproductive technology (ART) techniques and also cover labor analgesia to ease pain in childbirth. The most commonly performed ART procedure is in vitro fertilization (IVF).
The administration described China’s falling population as one of the biggest obstacles to national development and stressed it had already added ovulation-inducing drugs to its coverage, to help “reduce the burden of infertility.”
The expanded coverage is part of a wider attempt by Chinese authorities to persuade more people to…
2023-02-08 04:18:11 China to offer free fertility treatment in bid to boost record low birth rate
Source from www.cnn.com
China is making strides to solving a national burden – its low birth rate.
In a bid to boost its record low birth rate, the Chinese government is now offering free fertility treatments to its citizens. It is estimated that fewer than 11 million babies were born in 2020, down 3 million since the previous record low of 2014.
Beginning February 28, the provision of free fertility treatments will be rolled out across all of China. This includes both medical and services such as manpower, consumables, and medicines. Those eligible will be couples who have been married for four years or more and fall under the Chinese low-income bracket.
The China Family Planning Association reportedly encouraged couples to take advantage of the offer in order to help increase the nation’s birth rate. Although previous attempts at offering fertility treatments were able to help boost rate in certain areas, multiple regulations were also placed on couples who had a history of abortions and their subsequent fertility treatments.
Those interested in taking advantage of the offer will have to check with their local government agent on how to apply. Documentation required may include marriage certificates and proof that applicants fall under the low-income bracket.
The Chinese government is hoping that the expiration of fertility treatments, along with recent measures such as tax exemptions which have been applied to second and greater children, finally help bring the rate back up and end the nation’s fertility woes.