More than 10 provinces in my country have included cochlear implants in medical insurance, with the maximum reimbursement reaching 450,000

In China, approximately 27.8 million people are living with hearing disabilities, and cochlear implants are currently one of the most effective treatments for deafness. However, the hefty medical costs associated with cochlear implantation, often exceeding hundreds of thousands of yuan, deter many patients from pursuing this option.

Recently, several provinces, including Shanghai, Jiangsu, and Zhejiang, have started to include cochlear implants in their health insurance reimbursements, with maximum coverage reaching up to 450,000 yuan. Since Jiangxi added cochlear implants to its health insurance program in September of last year, over 170 patients have already undergone treatment.

At the Jiangxi Provincial Children’s Hospital, an 8-month-old baby named Rui is undergoing a hearing test after having received cochlear implants just last month. After a month of recovery, he is finally preparing for activation. Upon hearing sounds, little Rui immediately quiets down and widens his eyes, searching for the source of the noise. When everyone joys in clapping and calling his name, he quickly turns his head in response.

Rui’s father, Chen Jian, expressed his overwhelming emotions: “I’m incredibly excited and happy. At least now he’ll be able to hear the world’s sounds just like everyone else.”

Rui failed his initial hearing test at birth. Months later, his parents brought him to the Jiangxi Provincial Children’s Hospital, where he was diagnosed with congenital bilateral deafness. The best treatment available was cochlear implantation, but the cost of 400,000 to 500,000 yuan was a heavy burden for his family.

Living in a rural area of Yingtan, Jiangxi, Rui’s father works manual labor while his mother farms. Just as they were feeling helpless, the new health insurance policy took effect in September, covering an average of about 70% of the costs. Low-income families like Rui’s can receive up to 90% reimbursement.

Chen Jian shared, “The original cost was over 540,000 yuan, but with health insurance and additional support from the local disability association, we ended up paying only about 37,000 to 38,000 yuan out of pocket.”

Peng Xin, a deputy chief physician in the ENT department at Jiangxi Provincial Children’s Hospital, noted that since the new insurance policy was implemented, they have treated over 120 families with hearing impairments, with average treatment costs around 240,000 to 250,000 yuan. The reimbursement rate is about 70% to 90%, which is vital for enabling timely diagnosis, treatment, and recovery.

Cochlear implants can restore partial hearing to completely deaf patients, and with language training, many can regain normal communication abilities. The golden period for auditory central development is under three years of age, so early implantation for young children diagnosed with hearing impairments is crucial.

Wang Shengming, a student at Peking University, has a heartfelt wish to implant cochlear devices in both of his deaf parents, allowing them to finally hear him call out “Mom and Dad.” Thanks to health insurance and public welfare support, his parents, after being deaf for over 40 years, successfully received cochlear implants this year.

Recently, a hearing-impaired couple, Wang Tianen and Song Hui from Puyang, underwent cochlear implantation at Peking University People’s Hospital. Now, during the National Day holiday, their son has returned from Beijing, and the family can finally engage in simple conversations and interactions.

Wang Tianen and Song Hui both lost their hearing as children due to medication side effects and subsequently lost their ability to speak. However, through determination, they graduated from Changchun University’s Special Education College and returned to work as art teachers at a special education school in Puyang.

For over 40 years, this couple has inspired their children and students with their positive outlook on life. This past July, their son Wang Shengming was admitted to Peking University’s Clinical Medicine program. His greatest desire is to help his parents hear him for the first time.

Wang Shengming shared, “Since the day I was born, I have never heard my parents’ voices. Their hearing loss has indeed made life challenging and inconvenient for us.”

While Wang Tianen’s surgery went smoothly, Song Hui’s procedure faced additional challenges due to ear structure abnormalities. However, after hard work from the medical team, the surgery was completed successfully. With each passing day of recovery, the moment for activating their cochlear implants arrived. When the devices were switched on, their faces lit up with shock and joy.

Finally, they experienced the wonder of sound. Although the sounds initially remained unclear, they brought limitless hope for the future, as the couple will embark on a long journey of auditory and language rehabilitation together.

Wang Shengming expressed his optimism: “Now when I call them, they respond. Though we are still in the early stages, I believe things will improve significantly in the future. I feel so gratified and happy that my parents can now step into the world of sound, and I am excited about what lies ahead.”

According to the National Healthcare Security Administration, cochlear implants will soon be included in the centralized procurement program. The cochlear implantation rate in China is relatively low, averaging around 50,000 per year. Even with some insurance coverage, the high costs often leave patients with significant out-of-pocket expenses. To alleviate these burdens, the administration aims to include high-value medical consumables like cochlear implants in the centralized procurement program.

Yan Qinghui, deputy director of the National Healthcare Security Administration, noted, “Moving forward, we will actively promote the expansion and enhancement of centralized procurement for drugs and high-value medical consumables, including cochlear implants.”

Since the introduction of national drug procurement in 2018, prices for procured medications have dropped by more than 50% on average through bulk purchasing. If cochlear implant prices can see similar reductions through procurement, the likelihood of including them in health insurance programs across the country will increase. Such changes could offer significant financial relief for hearing-impaired patients, particularly for young children under three, enabling them to receive timely treatment and improve outcomes in hearing and language training.