Medical insurance enrollment stable

Enrollment in China's basic medical insurance system has remained stable in recent years and rising premiums have contributed to improving the nation's healthcare services and lessening financial burdens on patients, the National Healthcare Security Administration said on Monday.

"The coverage rate of China's basic medical insurance program has stabilized above 95 percent and the quality of services covered by insurance keeps improving," it said.

The administration made the statement after official data pointed to a consistent decline in the number of people enrolled in its urban and rural residents' insurance program and sporadic reports circulating online of an exodus from the program in the countryside.