Regional Director of ACCESS Health China delivers speech to insurance industry execs

On July 6, the third session of the Health Insurance Expert Committee of China’s Insurance Industry was held in Shanghai. In attendance were Xing Wei, Secretary Chairman of the Insurance Association of China (IAC); Wu Xiangtian, Deputy Director of the National Health Commission Planning Department; Xie Qilin, Deputy Secretary of the China Medical Association; and Zheng Bingwen, Member of the National Committee of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference and Director of the World Social Security Research Center of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences. Medical and pharmaceutical experts and academics were also present, along with more than 150 representatives of the Professional Health Insurance Committee.

Dr. Chang Liu, Regional Director of ACCESS Health China, attended the session and delivered a speech at the meeting. Dr. Liu stated that, “In Singapore, the first product of commercial health insurance for 90 percent of people is a government-backed supplemental insurance, a solution that is supplementary to the social security.”

Challenges and gaps presently impede communication and collaboration between commercial insurance and pharmaceutical industries in China. Moving forward, we need to promote more streamlined coordination between the two industries to accelerate healthcare reform and enhance healthcare access for populations in need.