Key facts
- China's state medical insurance fund revenue outpaced spending in 2025.
- The fund reported a revenue increase of 95.97 billion yuan ($14.12 billion) in 2025.
- Total revenue for the basic medical insurance system was 3.587 trillion yuan ($521 billion) in 2025.
- Total expenditures were 3.001 trillion yuan in 2025.
- Approximately 1.331 billion people were covered by the basic medical insurance system in 2025.
China's state medical insurance fund experienced revenue growth exceeding expenditures in 2025, marking a significant reversal from previous years that had strained the fund's stability due to an aging population. The National Healthcare Security Administration reported that the fund's income increased by 95.97 billion yuan ($14.12 billion) in 2025, a 2.7% rise from the prior year. This shift indicates a stabilization of the system.
According to data released on March 16, the basic medical insurance system covered approximately 1.331 billion individuals in 2025, an increase of 4.06 million from the previous year. The fund recorded total revenues of 3.587 trillion yuan ($521 billion) and total expenditures of 3.001 trillion yuan. Of the enrollees, 388.56 million were part of the employee insurance program, and 942.12 million were in the resident insurance program.
Earlier data from January 30 indicated steady operations for the fund in 2025, with total revenue reaching about 2.95 trillion yuan ($423 billion) and expenditures at 2.42 trillion yuan. Revenue from the pooled fund, which includes maternity insurance, was 1.83 trillion yuan, with expenditures totaling 1.36 trillion yuan, including 135.97 billion yuan for maternity benefits. As of the end of 2024, approximately 1.33 billion Chinese residents were enrolled in basic medical insurance schemes.
In 2023, China's basic medical insurance fund garnered 3.4 trillion yuan ($470 billion) in revenue, with income at 2.7 trillion yuan and spending at 2.2 trillion yuan, resulting in an annual surplus of 500 billion yuan. The employee program has an accumulated surplus of 2.6 trillion yuan, while the fund for rural and urban residents has a surplus of 760 billion yuan, though this balance is described as tight. Authorities noted that increased spending has tightened the safety net, and healthcare expenditures are expected to continue rising due to the aging population and a decreasing worker-to-retiree ratio.