OBJECTIVES: In order to achieve the goal of Healthy China 2020, it is critical to establish and perfect a universal coverage health security system for all. This paper takes German, England, America, and Singapore and other developed countries as examples to conduct a comparative analysis on their health security systems from the aspects of financing methods, mode of medical organization, service supply, payment mode, expenditure control, equity of health system, and operation mechanism, thus putting forward some useful practice to improve health system in China. METHODS: Comparative analysis from the international perspective has been mainly adopted in this paper. RESULTS: Through comparison and contrast, it is suggested that the health security system in China be of Chinese characteristics, of multi-levels and multi-formats, of a balance between equity and efficiency, and of an organic combination of government supervision and market mechanism.  CONCLUSIONS: Based on the comparison and experiences, related policy suggestions have been put forward to improve the health security system in China, which go as follows: deal with the relationship between government and market; promote the press forward with legislation focusing on specialized law of health security; set up a stable and multiple financing mechanism; and enhance the supervision on health service institutions.