Core Insights - The aging population and increased life expectancy are putting significant pressure on pension and medical insurance systems, necessitating reforms during the 14th Five-Year Plan period [1][8] - By 2024, the number of insured retirees in China's employee medical insurance will exceed 100 million, marking a new phase in the impact of aging on the medical insurance system [1][2] Group 1: Medical Insurance Statistics - As of the end of 2024, the total number of participants in basic medical insurance reached 1.32662 billion, maintaining a coverage rate of 95% [1] - The total revenue of basic medical insurance (including maternity insurance) for 2024 was 3.491337 trillion yuan, while total expenditures were 2.976403 trillion yuan, resulting in a current balance of 463.917 billion yuan [1] - The number of participants in employee medical insurance increased by 8.537 million to 379.4834 million, reflecting a growth rate of 2.3% [3][4] Group 2: Challenges and Trends - The growth rate of insured retirees has surpassed that of employed workers since 2021, indicating a shift in demographic dynamics [3][4] - The ratio of employed to retired participants in employee medical insurance has been declining, from 3 in 2012 to an estimated 2.63 in 2024 [3][4] - The total medical expenses for employee medical insurance participants reached 2.058746 trillion yuan in 2024, with a year-on-year increase of 3.6% [4] Group 3: Resident Medical Insurance - The number of participants in resident medical insurance has been declining for three consecutive years, dropping from a peak of 1.02 billion in 2019 to 950 million in 2024 [6][7] - In 2024, the revenue for resident medical insurance was 1.118091 trillion yuan, with expenditures of 1.066149 trillion yuan, resulting in a current balance of 51.942 billion yuan [7] Group 4: Long-term Care Insurance - A nationwide long-term care insurance system is expected to be introduced within the year, with 18.78634 million participants in pilot cities as of 2024 [10] - The long-term care insurance fund had a revenue of 24.415 billion yuan and expenditures of 13.108 billion yuan in 2024 [10] Group 5: Policy Recommendations - To address the challenges posed by an aging population, reforms in pension and medical insurance systems are essential, including the introduction of long-term care insurance [8][9] - The medical insurance system must enhance its capacity to meet the structural demands of elderly care, focusing on both the quantity and quality of medical services [9]