两部门联合出台措施——规范养老机构预收费监管

Core Viewpoint - The Ministry of Civil Affairs and the Financial Regulatory Bureau have issued the "Guidelines for the Management of Prepaid Fees in Elderly Care Institutions," aiming to strengthen and standardize the supervision of prepaid fees, enhance deposit management rules, and protect the legal rights of the elderly [1] Group 1: Regulatory Framework - The new guidelines are part of a broader effort since 2022 to combat illegal fundraising in elderly care institutions, resulting in a decrease in the number of illegal fundraising cases, participants, and amounts involved [1] - The guidelines aim to establish a comprehensive regulatory policy system for prepaid fees, ensuring the safety of elderly individuals' funds [1] Group 2: Special Account Management - A key highlight of the guidelines is the requirement for elderly care institutions to deposit collected fees into dedicated accounts, effectively isolating these funds from operational risks [2] - The guidelines define the rights and responsibilities of both the elderly care institutions and the banks managing these accounts, prohibiting institutions from using banks for marketing purposes [2] Group 3: Monitoring and Risk Management - The guidelines specify four categories of abnormal fund flows, including large transactions and suspicious activities, which trigger a need for banks to halt expenditures and alert the Ministry of Civil Affairs [3] - A multi-departmental risk interception network is established to address issues related to illegal fundraising and money laundering [3] Group 4: Challenges and Recommendations - Despite clear policies, challenges remain in fully resolving disputes related to prepaid fees, including the potential for smaller institutions to evade compliance and elderly individuals being misled by attractive offers [3] - Experts suggest that collaboration among regulatory bodies, the industry, and institutions is essential to enhance the awareness of risks among the elderly and promote short-term payment options to reduce reliance on prepaid fees [3]