Jiangsu sets example to have fitness expense covered by medical insurance

The so-called "Jiangsu model" that fitness expenditures can be covered by medical insurance becomes a heated topic among the delegates and members to the National People's Congress (NPC) and the National Committee of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) of China during the two sessions of 2015.

Li Guoping, a member of the CPPCC National Committee and president of the Sports Hospital under the State Sports General Administration of China, made a proposal that fitness expenditures can be covered by medical insurance. He said some scholars already proposed it is necessary to carry out the chronic disease prevention work in advance, and the fitness expenditures' coverage by medical insurance is a new idea in chronic disease prevention.

"Cities in Jiangsu province including Suzhou and Changzhou have carried out the pilots on using the balance of individual medical insurance to buy fitness services," said Li Guoping. Such practice can not only rectify the abuse of medical insurance, but also revitalize the sports and fitness market, and enhance the public awareness of sports and fitness, so as to avoid illnesses instead of treating illnesses, explained Li Guoping.

In Suzhou, the Sunlight Fitness Card, jointly issued by sports, social security and banking departments, can be used for fitness at designated natatoriums and fitness centers. In Changzhou, designated fitness centers can accept payment by medical insurance cards just like hospitals and drugstores do.

Miu Ruilin, mayor of Nanjing City, clearly proposed in the Report on the Work of Nanjing Municipal Government in the meetings of the Nanjing Municipal People's Congress and the Nanjing Municipal People’s Political Consultative Conference in 2015 to promote the "resident health card" program. It is expected that the fitness expenditures' coverage by medical insurance can be realized in Nanjing within 2015, according to Chen Ailing, director of Mass Sports Department of Nanjing Municipal Sports Bureau.