At Jiangxi Provincial Children's Hospital, Chen Jian was thrilled that his eight-month-old baby could now hear the sounds of the world like a normal person after undergoing cochlear implant surgery.
The baby had been diagnosed with congenital bilateral profound deafness a few months after birth, and the high cost of the surgery would have been a significant burden for the rural family.
Since September 2023, Jiangxi Province in east China has included cochlear implants in its medical insurance reimbursement scope, with an average reimbursement ratio of about 70 percent. For low-income families like Chen's, this ratio can reach 90 percent.
Chen told China Media Group (CMG) that the original cost was 540,000 yuan (about $76,000), but now he only needed to pay 38,000 yuan.
Chen Jian (L1) and his wife are having their baby tested following cochlear implant surgery at Jiangxi Provincial Children's Hospital in Nanchang City, Jiangxi Province, China, October 2024. /CMG
Peng Xin, a doctor from Jiangxi Provincial Children's Hospital, told CMG that over 120 families with hearing-impaired children have benefited from the new policy at the hospital.
Cochlear implantation can enable completely deaf patients to regain some hearing ability, and after language training, they can return to normal communication.
The first three years of life are the golden period for the development of the auditory cortex. Once hearing loss in infants and young children is diagnosed, cochlear implants should be implanted as soon as possible.
China has about 27.8 million people with hearing disabilities. Due to the high cost of treatment, the number of implants performed each year is only about 50,000.
In recent years, more than 10 provinces, including Jiangsu and Zhejiang, have successively included cochlear implants in the medical insurance reimbursement range, with the highest payment standard reaching 450,000 yuan.
To further reduce the burden on patients, the National Healthcare Security Administration has indicated that high-value medical consumables, such as cochlear implants, will be included in the national centralized drug procurement program.
Since the implementation of this program in 2018, the average price reduction of procured drugs has exceeded 50 percent.
(Cover via CFP)