BEIJING – In a landmark move to address its rapidly aging population, China has announced comprehensive guidelines to establish a nationwide long-term care insurance system. The policy directive, jointly issued by the General Offices of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and the State Council on March 26, 2026, represents a significant expansion of the country’s social safety net.
The newly formalized system is structured as a social insurance program specifically designed to provide both services and financial assistance to citizens with severe disabilities who require sustained daily living support. This initiative aims to cover fundamental care needs including meal assistance, personal hygiene maintenance, and mobility support, alongside essential medical services such as routine health assessments and rehabilitative therapies.
Building upon pilot programs initiated in 2016, the insurance framework has already demonstrated substantial impact during its trial phase. Current figures indicate nearly 310 million citizens have enrolled in the system, with over 3.3 million individuals with disabilities having received tangible benefits since its inception.
According to an official service catalog released in September 2025, the long-term care fund will comprehensively cover 20 distinct living care services and 16 medical care provisions for qualified participants. This systematic approach establishes long-term care insurance as an integral component of China’s overarching social security architecture while simultaneously addressing demographic challenges posed by an increasingly elderly population.
The national implementation strategy reflects China’s proactive response to population aging trends through institutional innovation within its welfare system, potentially establishing new global benchmarks for large-scale care provision.