As the global population continues to age, chronic disease insurance for the elderly has emerged as a crucial strategy to safeguard the health rights and interests of senior citizens and alleviate the burden on families and society. Countries and regions worldwide, based on their respective economic and social development levels, cultural traditions, and medical security systems, have explored a variety of chronic disease insurance models for the elderly, offering different degrees of support and protection for healthy aging.
The Netherlands, one of the pioneering countries to integrate long - term care into its national healthcare system, established relevant systems in 1968. It funds nursing care in institutions like nursing homes through a public insurance program and has another for home care. Taxpayers pay premiums proportional to their income, up to 10% of their income, and also bear out - of - pocket expenses accounting for about 7% of institutional care costs. A third project, provided by municipal authorities and relying on general taxes, offers economic assistance and social support for the elderly at home. In 2021, the Netherlands' long - term care expenditure accounted for 4.1% of its GDP, higher than other OECD - tracked countries.
Germany was the first country in the world to implement public long - term care insurance through social legislation. The Long - Term Care Insurance Act, effective in 1995, made it the fifth pillar insurance following pension, health, work injury, and unemployment insurance. Germany's public long - term care insurance has positively reduced the economic burden on families. As income increases, Germans' sense of financial security is improving, but there are gender and age differences, with women of the same age generally incurring higher costs than men.
Japan has implemented a public long - term care insurance system since 2000, with five major changes. The system stipulates that the insured only need to pay 10% of total nursing costs when receiving long - term care services, with the remaining premiums paid by the insured and government public funds bearing 50% each. This ensures the family's economic burden isn't too heavy and maintains the public long - term care insurance system's sustainability and stability. South Korea has had public long - term care insurance since 2008, aiming to maintain and enhance the health and well - being of the elderly. Sri Lanka launched a national elderly health strategy in 2006. In 2010, its Ministry of Health led in formulating a national policy and strategic framework for non - communicable diseases. By expanding treatment services and conducting individual and community health promotion activities, the goal is to reduce the premature mortality rate of people under 65 due to non - communicable diseases by 2% annually over the next decade.
Although these countries' chronic disease insurance systems for the elderly have unique features, they also face common challenges like system sustainability, service fairness, and quality assurance. Countries can learn from each other's experiences and lessons, adapt them to their own national conditions, improve their chronic disease insurance systems for the elderly, and provide a solid guarantee for a healthy and happy old age.
