Beijing, September 9 (Zhongxin Net) -- Restrictions on the enjoyment of maternity insurance and subsidies in many places have been further relaxed.
The Chongqing Municipal Medical Insurance Bureau recently issued the Notice on Matters Related to Optimizing Maternity Insurance Handling Services, saying that from September 9, insured persons applying for maternity insurance related treatment will no longer receive birth service certificates, rebirth service certificates, and marriage certificates.
In addition to "loosening" maternity allowances for women who give birth out of wedlock, some places have recently clarified that maternity insurance covers flexible employees. The Guizhou Provincial Medical Insurance Bureau recently issued the Notice on Improving the Maternity Security System, clarifying that from October 10, flexible employment personnel will be included in the coverage of maternity insurance. At the same time, it is required that the maternity insurance benefits of the insured be fully decoupled from the personal marital situation.
Chinanews.com found that restrictions on non-married women's application for maternity insurance have been quietly relaxed in many areas. Zhejiang, Tianjin, Jiangxi and other places have clearly included flexible employment personnel in the coverage of maternity insurance.
Data map: In a nursery institution in Hangzhou. Photo by Zhang Yuhuan
Restrictions on applying for maternity insurance have been gradually relaxed
There is a special type of insurance in the "five insurances and one housing fund" - maternity insurance, which includes two parts: maternity medical treatment and maternity allowance. According to the National Health Insurance Administration, in 2022, 2 million people will participate in maternity insurance nationwide. However, over the years, some female employees have been blocked from this "protection net" due to unmarried or accidental layoffs, and cannot enjoy maternity insurance treatment.
In recent years, cases of unmarried mothers fighting for maternity insurance have frequently attracted social attention and once appeared on the hot search. For example, on September 2021, 9, Mengmeng (pseudonym), a single mother in Shenzhen, sent the filing materials against the Shenzhen Municipal Health Commission to the court to strive for her maternity insurance-related treatment. According to media reports, in June 8, under the coordination of the court, the parties had received maternity medical treatment and maternity allowances. Previously, there were also relevant cases in Shanghai and other places.
Outside the courtroom, change is taking place. On August 8 last year, the National Health Commission and 16 other departments jointly issued the "Guiding Opinions on Further Improving and Implementing Active Fertility Support Measures" (hereinafter referred to as the "Guiding Opinions"), clarifying that "the state uniformly regulates and formulates and improves the payment policy of maternity insurance and maternity allowance", and mentions that "places with conditions can explore the simultaneous participation of flexible employees participating in basic medical insurance for employees to participate in maternity insurance".
At the press conference of the National Health Commission held the next day, Liu Juan, deputy director of the Department of Treatment and Security of the National Health Insurance Administration, responded to the threshold for receiving maternity allowances, saying that the social insurance law follows the equality of rights and obligations, as long as the payment responsibility of maternity insurance is fulfilled, there is no threshold for the enjoyment of treatment at the national level. "There may be requirements for providing materials related to maternity services, and the National Health Insurance Administration will follow up with relevant departments to better protect the legitimate rights and interests of the insured."
A marriage certificate is no longer required to receive maternity allowance in many places
Although it will take some time to implement, Chinanews.com has noticed that many places have relaxed restrictions on non-married women's application for maternity insurance, introduced exception clauses or reduced document requirements, and "converged" with national policies.
According to the official website of the Xi'an Municipal Medical Insurance Bureau on August 8, the Xi'an Municipal Medical Insurance Bureau and the Xi'an Municipal Bureau of Finance issued the Notice on Optimizing and Adjusting Relevant Policies for Maternity Medical Security Treatment on July 1, clarifying that insured female employees enjoy maternity insurance or insured women enjoy maternity medical treatment under basic medical insurance for urban and rural residents, and are not subject to other conditions such as marriage registration or birth registration.
On July 7, the Medical Security Affairs Center of Zhuzhou City, Hunan Province issued the Notice on Further Standardizing the Application Materials for Maternity Insurance Benefits, which clearly stipulates that the application materials for Zhuzhou maternity insurance benefits no longer require marriage certificates and birth permits, and requires that the "Notice" be implemented from the date of issuance.
According to incomplete statistics from Chinanews.com, in addition to the above two places, Guangdong, Shanghai, as well as Xuzhou in Jiangsu and Weihai in Shandong have also clearly applied for maternity insurance and decoupled from marriage registration.
Data map: In an infant care service guidance center in Xunwu County, Jiangxi Province, staff guide parents and children to interact and play games. Photo by Liu Lixin
Flexible employees in many places are included in the coverage of maternity insurance
Previously, compared with active employees, flexible employees were not covered by maternity insurance and often had to bear more birth costs. With the development of new formats and new economies, the scale of flexible employment women has expanded, and the issue of social security for flexible employment personnel has also attracted attention.
The "Guiding Opinions" issued by 17 departments including the National Health Commission on August 8 last year mentioned that "where conditions permit, flexible employment personnel who participate in basic medical insurance for employees can be explored to participate in maternity insurance at the same time."
On June 2022, 6, the Zhejiang Provincial Medical Insurance Bureau and the Department of Finance jointly issued the Notice on Helping "Zhejiang Has Good Education" to Promote Eugenics and Childbirth, clarifying that individual industrial and commercial enterprises, part-time employees and other flexible employees who participate in the basic medical insurance for Hangzhou employees as active employees will simultaneously participate in maternity insurance.
Since then, the restrictions on maternity insurance for flexible employees in many places have been further relaxed. At present, in addition to Guizhou, Tianjin, Shanghai, Jiangxi and other places have also clearly included flexible employment personnel in the coverage of maternity insurance. (End)