China pushes expanded national maternity insurance systems in draft law

Several regions have already expanded coverage to flexible workers.

China is planning to improve its maternity insurance system and expand coverage, according to a press release.

The draft law stipulates that covered individuals are entitled to benefits for childbirth-related medical expenses and maternity allowances.

It also seeks to merge the maternity insurance fund with the basic medical insurance fund for employees into a single accounting system.

Government data showed that maternity insurance covered nearly 259.7 million people by the end of 2025, an increase of about 6.7 million from the previous year.

The fund spent nearly $18.6b (¥136b) on benefits, including reimbursements for prenatal examinations, inpatient deliveries, and maternity allowances last year.

Several regions, including Jiangxi, Zhejiang and Guizhou provinces, as well as Tianjin and Shanghai, have already expanded coverage to flexible workers.