A parent and her child read at a library in Haikou, south China Hainan Province, Aug. 3, 2025. Photo: Xinhua

Twenty-seven provinces across China are now authorized to issue maternity allowances to individuals, after Hunan and Guangdong provinces joined the ranks, the National Healthcare Security Administration said on Tuesday.

As of Monday, there are only five regions have yet to fully implement direct payment of maternity allowances to individuals - Beijing, Tianjin, Guangxi, Guizhou and Xinjiang. More than 90 percent of maternity benefits are directly distributed to individuals within their pooling area, the administration said in a post on its official WeChat account. 

Depending on different application channels, employers categories, some regions may distribute allowances either to employers or individuals, according to the administration. 

The maternity allowance, also known as "maternity leave pay," refers to the living expenses paid to female employees during maternity leave, as stipulated by Chinese laws and regulations. 

Historically, these funds were disbursed by healthcare security agencies to employers, who then distributed them to employees.

A notice released by Guangdong healthcare security bureau stated that for insured female employees who give birth, terminate a pregnancy or undergo family planning surgery on or after December 1, 2025, may apply for maternity benefits in accordance with regulations, Guangzhou Daily reported. 

After the medical insurance department completes its review, the verified allowance funds will be transferred directly to the employee's own bank account. From application to disbursement, the medical insurance department will have a "direct connection" with the insured employee, it said.

The insurance fund provides benefits to female employees taking maternity leave, individuals on leave for family planning procedures, and other scenarios stipulated by laws and regulations, the Hunan Healthcare Bureau said on its official website.  

This fund not only ensures the basic livelihood of insured female employees during maternity leave but also provides financial support for newborns to receive essential care and nurturing.

At the national level, by June 2025, participation in the national maternity insurance program reached 253 million. During the 14th Five-Year Plan period (2021-2025) , insured individuals received maternity insurance benefits a cumulative 96.14 million times, with total fund expenditures amounting to 438.3 billion yuan ($61billion), according to the Hunan Healthcare Bureau.

"In the past, allowances had to be routed through employers, which not only risked delays due to cumbersome procedures but also created the possibility of funds being withheld," said an official from the healthcare department in Hunan Province. 

The direct payment model establishes the "shortest payment path" between the healthcare fund and insured individuals by creating a direct link between the healthcare system and personal accounts. This not only eliminates any loss of rights or benefits in intermediate steps but also provides insured individuals with greater certainty and a stronger sense of security, the official said. 

Global Times