BEIJING - China has announced an ambitious plan to make childbirth essentially free for parents under national insurance guidelines by 2026.

The move, revealed at a national healthcare security conference on Saturday, is part of a broader strategy to address the country's declining birth rate by reducing the financial burden of having children.

Authorities said they will enhance medical expense coverage for prenatal checkups based on the affordability of the national medical insurance fund.

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The goal for next year is to ensure the basic costs of childbirth are fully covered by insurance programs nationwide, with individuals paying nothing out-of-pocket for standard delivery services within policy limits.

Seven provincial-level regions, including Jilin, Jiangsu and Shandong, already provide full coverage for in-hospital childbirth medical expenses within the policy scopes.

Officials noted that the commitment applies to standard medical services. If expecting parents choose premium-priced hospitals, or opt for medications or materials not included in the basic insurance catalog, those additional expenses will not be reimbursed.

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The National Healthcare Security Administration is also planning to expand maternity insurance eligibility to include flexible workers, migrant workers, and people in new forms of employment, among other measures designed to encourage childbirth.

China's maternity insurance now covers approximately 255 million people.