Nearly half in the draft!
Everything in excess is not good
Traditional Chinese Medicine is too ambitious
In the “National Basic Medical Insurance Medical Service Item Catalog (First Batch) Formulation Work Plan” which was just officially released, Traditional Chinese Medicine has been completely excluded, not a single item remains!
And in the draft for public comment, there were a total of 11 items, with Traditional Chinese Medicine accounting for 5!
What happened in between?
As the first unified medical insurance medical service item catalog formulated by the state in our country, what does this signify?
There were 5 categories of Traditional Chinese Medicine in the draft: Traditional Chinese Medicine (moxibustion, cupping, massage), External Traditional Chinese Medicine Treatment, Traditional Chinese Medicine Acupuncture, Traditional Chinese Medicine Bone Setting, Traditional Chinese Medicine Special Therapies.
7 categories of modern medicine added after removal: Cardiovascular System, Respiratory System, Ophthalmology, Gynecology, Radiotherapy, Anesthesiology, Nursing.
Compare them, do you think the changes are good or bad?
I think it’s good, but I guess some people will say the country is controlled by Western capital and is suppressing Traditional Chinese Medicine:
On the contrary, looking at the removed Traditional Chinese Medicine items, the 6 categories of modern medicine originally in the draft were all retained: Clinical Scale Assessment, Oral Implantology, Assisted Reproduction, Obstetrics, Radiographic Examination, Rehabilitation.
The official explanation for such a significant change is missing, so let’s infer from the clauses.
Three admission criteria:
- Included in the current version of the National Medical Service Price Item Establishment Guide (Trial);
- Clinically necessary, safe and effective, and affordable;
- The impact on the expenditure of the basic medical insurance fund is controllable, and it does not pose a risk to the security of the fund.
There are also three situations for rejection:
- Those that are explicitly stipulated by the state or recommended by the establishment guide to implement market-regulated pricing;
- Cosmetic, non-functional plastic surgery, weight loss, health check-ups, prevention, non-disease treatment such as healthcare, and those beyond the scope of basic medical insurance coverage;
- Insufficient clinical application, uncertain effectiveness, significant safety hazards or risks;
Comparing these, these 5 Traditional Chinese Medicine items are either insufficiently applied clinically, have uncertain effectiveness, have significant safety hazards or risks, or are for healthcare, or pose risks to the security of the fund.
Regardless of the situation, it is a major blow to Traditional Chinese Medicine.
I have a “heart-piercing” theory: it’s too ambitious and has angered the public.
These national matters are just like that, don’t be too ruthless, and people will just turn a blind eye and let it pass.
A few days ago, the “Traditional Chinese Medicine Diagnosis and Treatment Plan for AIDS (2026 Edition)” was released. A friend said that it seems modern medicine has completely controlled AIDS, and it’s time for Traditional Chinese Medicine to come out and reap the rewards.
In fact, in recent years, a mask and a dose of Chinese medicine have basically emptied the medical insurance fund.
In the official words, the security of the fund is at risk.
Therefore, last year, all Chinese patent medicine injections were delisted for re-examination [“Deadly Chinese Patent Medicine Injections Are Finally Under Re-examination!“]
During the mask period, I did a nucleic acid test whenever I saw one.
I am certainly not a pandemic prevention enthusiast, but the characteristic here is that as long as there is money to squander, no matter how big the joke, it cannot stop.
The only way to stop the joke is to make it run out of money.
Every time I do one more nucleic acid test, it’s like adding another straw to the camel’s back.
Of course, not being included in the first batch does not mean it will never be included, Traditional Chinese Medicine still has a market.
For example, a child I know had rhinitis and was taken by his mother to Tongjun Hall, a famous medical clinic in Hangzhou, where Chinese medicine was directly injected into his nasal bridge.
They called this “targeted therapy”.
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