When elderly family members have difficulty traveling, can their children get medicine for them? Can I use the money in my medical insurance for family members? After setting up « family pooling, » whose card (code) should be used for medical treatment and medicine purchases? What are the consequences of not using one’s own medical insurance for treatment?

1. When elderly family members have mobility difficulties, can their children get medicine for them? Whose medical insurance code (social security card) should be used for registration and medicine?

Yes. Article 17, Paragraph 2 of the « Regulations on the Supervision and Management of Medical Security Fund Use » clearly states: « When special circumstances require entrusting others to purchase medicine on one’s behalf, identification documents of both the entrusting party and the entrusted party must be provided. » Therefore, when elderly family members have mobility difficulties or other special circumstances, children can purchase medicine on their behalf.

When getting medicine at a hospital or pharmacy on someone’s behalf, whose medical insurance code (social security card) should be used for registration and medicine purchase?

First, if using an electronic medical insurance code, you can bind the elderly person’s medical insurance code through the « family account » feature, and present their medical insurance code during registration.

Second, if using a physical card, you need to bring the elderly person’s social security card, register under their name, and bring your own identification documents (ID card, social security card, etc.).

For example: When Xiao Li goes to the hospital to get medicine for Old Li, he can bind Old Li’s medical insurance code through the « family account » feature and directly use his phone to scan Old Li’s medical insurance code during registration.

2. Can I use the money in my medical insurance for elderly family members?

The balance in an employee’s medical insurance personal account can be used for family members through family pooling, but the pooled fund cannot be shared. The balance in an employee’s personal medical insurance account can be used for close relatives including parents, spouse, children, siblings, grandparents, grandchildren, but must meet two conditions: first, your close relatives must also be enrolled in basic medical insurance (including employee medical insurance and resident medical insurance); second, you must have set up employee medical insurance personal account family pooling. Please note: family pooling applies to the employee’s personal medical insurance account balance, not the pooled fund.

3. After setting up « family pooling, » whose code (card) should be used for medical treatment and medicine purchases?

Money can be pooled, but codes (cards) cannot be shared! Under all circumstances, medical treatment and medicine purchases must use the patient’s own code (card). The family pooling policy « pools » the money in the employee medical insurance enrollee’s personal account, not the code (card) itself. Medical insurance follows the principle of « individual enrollment, individual benefit entitlement. » This principle remains unchanged after family pooling – enrollees still use their own medical insurance for medical treatment and enjoy their own medical insurance benefits according to regulations.

4. What are the consequences of not using one’s own medical insurance for treatment?

Not using one’s own medical insurance for registration, medical treatment, or medicine purchase constitutes « fraudulent medical treatment using another’s identity. » According to relevant laws and regulations, minor cases may result in suspension of one’s medical expense online settlement, while serious cases may constitute criminal offenses. Additionally, the medical insurance information platform records your medical history in real time, which may affect future diagnosis and rehabilitation treatment for related conditions.

The balance in employee medical insurance personal accounts can be pooled, but no one’s medical insurance code (social security card) can be shared!

Regulations on the Supervision and Management of Medical Security Fund Use

This is not a place or cultural site, but a legal document. It is a set of Chinese government regulations established to oversee the use of medical insurance funds. Its history stems from the need to prevent fraud and ensure the financial sustainability of the national healthcare system.

medical insurance code

A medical insurance code is not a physical place or cultural site, but a standardized system used for billing and administration in healthcare. These codes, such as the ICD (International Classification of Diseases) and CPT (Current Procedural Terminology), were developed to create a universal language for diagnoses, procedures, and services. Their history stems from the need for efficient record-keeping, accurate insurance claims, and the statistical tracking of diseases and treatments.

social security card

A Social Security card is an official identification document issued by the U.S. government’s Social Security Administration. It was created in 1936 as part of the New Deal’s Social Security program to track an individual’s earnings and benefits for retirement, disability, and survivor purposes. Today, its unique nine-digit number is also widely used as a primary identifier for various financial and governmental records.

family account

I am unable to provide a summary of « family account » as it does not refer to a specific place or cultural site. The term typically describes a personal record of finances or a shared subscription service managed by a household. For a historical summary, please provide the name of a specific landmark, city, or cultural location.

electronic medical insurance code

An electronic medical insurance code is not a physical place or cultural site, but a standardized system used in healthcare administration. These codes, such as CPT or ICD-10, were developed to create a universal language for describing medical procedures, diagnoses, and services. Their history is rooted in the need for efficient billing, accurate record-keeping, and data analysis within health insurance systems.

employee medical insurance personal account

An employee medical insurance personal account is not a physical place or cultural site, but a financial tool within a benefits system. It is a dedicated account, often funded by employer contributions, that an employee can use to pay for qualified medical expenses. This modern employee benefit became prominent in the late 20th century, particularly with the advent of consumer-directed health plans like Health Savings Accounts (HSAs) in the United States.

basic medical insurance

Basic medical insurance is a foundational social protection system designed to provide citizens with access to essential healthcare services. Its history is rooted in the late 19th and 20th centuries, with Germany’s social health insurance model from 1883 often cited as a pioneering example, establishing the principle of shared financial risk. Today, such systems are a core component of social policy in many nations, aiming to reduce the financial burden of medical care on individuals.

resident medical insurance

« Resident medical insurance » refers to a system of health coverage rather than a physical place or cultural site. These are typically government-regulated programs designed to provide affordable healthcare access to a country’s residents, with systems like the UK’s NHS or Canada’s Medicare developing throughout the 20th century. The core purpose is to pool risk across a population to ensure medical care is financially accessible.