Chinese insurers should provide professional health insurance services with innovative products and learn from the experience of international firms, according to a senior official.

 

They should either set up joint ventures or look for overseas capital investment as the country is in dire need of health insurance products, according to an official with the China Insurance Regulatory Commission (CIRC).

 

Speaking at the Boao Asia Forum world pharmaceutical conference in Jiangsu, Chen Wenhui, assistant chairman at the CIRC, said the health insurance market in China had huge potential.

 

But he added that supply is far from meeting current demand and the quality of services is not good enough.

 

"The health insurance business is still at a very primitive stage. We have a long way to go," Chen said.

 

It is the first time the pharmaceutical conference has been held. It is one of the series events organised for the Boao Asia Forum, a non-governmental organization.

 

Taizhou, where the biggest Chinese drug maker, Yangtze River Pharmaceutical Group, is based, aims to become a center of the pharmaceutical industry in China.

 

To date, the CIRC has allowed 42 life insurers and 35 property insurance companies to provide health insurance services, but it believes there needs to be more products.

 

Since 2002, health insurance premiums have risen by an annual average of 46 percent to reach 30 billion yuan (US$3.74 billion) in 2005.

 

But commercial insurance only covers 6 percent of the total amount spent on health care in China. That figure is 54 percent in the United States.

 

According to a report by the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences earlier this year, 66 percent of Chinese people have no health insurance and 48 percent do not see a doctor because it is too expensive.

 

China aims to have 40 percent of people in rural areas on a cooperative health care program this year and by 2010 the scheme is expected to cover most farmers.

 

In cities, the goal is to have almost everyone with some kind of health care insurance.

 

More and more people are able to afford commercial health insurance services, but they are discouraged by a lack of professional services and innovative products.

 

Chen said his commission would continue to encourage the establishment of health-focused insurance firms and the introduction of foreign insurance firms and capital into the market.

 

Cooperation with foreign companies could be in the form of joint ventures or the introduction of foreign strategic investors.

 

Two of the first four professional insurers, China Life Health Insurance and Ping'an Health Insurance, have already received investment from firms in Germany and the United States respectively.

 

Chen revealed his commission is expected to release a health insurance regulation next month to improve supervision of the business and encourage innovation.

 

It will also lay out rules for the participation of foreign companies in the business.

 

He also urged the government to give tax reductions to individuals buying insurance.

 

Wan Feng, vice-president of China Life Insurance Group, also called on the government to allow insurance firms to build closer ties with hospitals to reduce the over-prescription of high-priced drugs.

 

This would save money for both insurers and patients.

 

Chen also suggested insurance firms should be allowed to invest in hospitals or form alliances to reduce increasing hospital bills.

 

(China Daily April 28, 2006)