16.1 Introduction

In China, the health security system is composed of three layers: basic health security system, supplementary health insurance, and commercial health insurance. The basic health security system is a kind of social health insurance with a wide range of protection provided by the government. The basic health security system consists of the urban employee basic medical insurance system,1 urban residents’ basic medical insurance system,2 the new rural cooperative medical care system,3 and the medical assistance system.4 The supplementary health insurance is a type of medical insurance that covers increased levels of medical costs above the scope of the basic medical insurance.5 Commercial health insurance is a layer of insurance above the basic medical insurance and the supplementary health insurance which operates in accordance with market and contract rules, has the characteristics of personalization, and can meet people’s higher medical needs. This chapter is concerned with the regulation of commercial health insurance in China.