OBJECTIVES: To provide suggestions for the improvement and reformation of Healthcare Insurance in China by comparing and analyzing Critical Illness Insurance Systems of different regions in China.

METHODS: Provinces or municipalities representing different developing levels were chosen based on the per capita disposable income provided by the Office for National Statistics. A review was conducted in regional Healthcare Security Administrations (HSA) and CNKI database for relative policies where differences in administration, funding resources， insured population, list of diseases and level of insurance were compared.

RESULTS: Critical Illness Insurance (CII) policies in 9 of the total 34 provinces or municipalities (Shanghai, Beijing, Zhejiang, Hunan, Anhui, Jiangxi, Gansu, Guizhou, Yunnan) were compared. CII was undertaken by commercial insurance companies and supervised by provincial or municipal HSAs in all of the regions unlike Basic Healthcare Insurance (BHI) organized all by HSA. Most of the CII funds were assigned from provincial or municipal BHI funds and half of regions would receive supports from local governments. The CII was developed mainly for residents without stable income as supplement of BHI, however, 2 regions covered all citizens. Most regions had specific lists to define the range which covered more than 20 kinds of critical illness while rest of them only set certain deductibles and limit lines. Deductibles were decided based on the regional per capita income last year and reimbursement rates were no less than 60% according to the policies.

CONCLUSIONS: Generally, the CII policies has improved the healthcare levels for residents. However, deductibles were relatively high and insured residents still faced certain burden under the current policies. It is suggested that CII systems should be better improved to benefit the public.