Enroll your newborn in yibao right after getting the birth certificate — don’t wait until household registration is complete

As soon as you receive the birth certificate, you can enroll your baby in yibao online — no need to wait for household registration. Once enrolled, most hospitalization costs can be reimbursed right at discharge. Newborn hospital bills can be quite high, so having yibao makes a big difference.

You pay the yibao premium just once a year; it usually costs a few hundred yuan.

According to the Chinese government website in 2024, “Newborns can enroll in yibao online using their birth certificate alone; household registration is not required first.” It also states that “after discharge, newborns can get medical expenses reimbursed immediately.” Previously, families had to complete household registration first, pay all hospital costs out of pocket, and then apply for reimbursement. The average processing time for enrollment has also dropped from 28.7 working days at the start of the year to just 6.4 working days now.

Premature birth, phototherapy for jaundice, and neonatal pneumonia are common reasons newborns end up in the hospital — often resulting in bills of tens of thousands of yuan. Having yibao versus not having it makes a huge difference in such cases. Local rules vary regarding how many days after birth a child must be enrolled to qualify for coverage starting from birth; always check with your local medical insurance office for exact details. Before discharge, calling 12393 is the easiest way to get clear answers.

中国政府网 (2024). 健全基本医疗保险参保长效机制国务院政策例行吹风会. https://www.gov.cn/zhengce/202409/content_6973567.htm