At a community health service center in Lhasa, citizen Tsering Drolma effortlessly completed her settlement using her mobile medical insurance code. Meanwhile, 200 kilometers away, Tashi Dundrup, a resident in Nagqu, successfully reimbursed his mother's medical expenses through a "Village Doctor Access" POS machine. Nowadays, such convenient and efficient medical insurance service scenarios have become the norm in Xizang.

Technological empowerment: From the "card era" to the "code era", digital dividends transcend altitude

"In the past, I had to carry my medical insurance card everywhere, and getting treatment elsewhere meant a pile of paperwork. Now, everything can be handled with just a mobile phone!" At the settlement window of Nyingchi People's Hospital, retired teacher Dawa Sangpo scanned his medical insurance code to complete the payment, voicing the sentiments of many insured people.

Transitioning from the "card era" to the "code era," digital technology has propelled Xizang's medical insurance services to new heights. The region's medical insurance authorities have implemented a "one-stop, one-window, one-bill" settlement model. Today, from clinics in pastoral areas at an altitude of 5,000 meters to top-tier hospitals in Lhasa, medical insurance codes cover the entire chain of outpatient payment and inpatient settlement. Multiple service entry points, including the National Medical Insurance Service Platform and WeChat mini-programs, have been launched simultaneously, enabling people to "handle all business with a few taps on their fingertips."

As of the end of October 2025, 2.084 million people in Xizang had activated their medical insurance codes, with access extended to 2,989 designated medical institutions and 902 designated retail pharmacies. This marks the successful establishment of a region-wide "one-code-for-all" identity authentication system for medical insurance.

"For retirees like Dawa Sangpo who live outside Xizang for extended periods, what was once a cumbersome process of 'running to service windows and submitting documents' is now gone. They can complete their out-of-region medical treatment registration simply by submitting a mobile application." Explained a relevant official from the Xizang Autonomous Region Medical Insurance Bureau.

Extending services: Expanding the grassroots medical insurance network to address the last-mile challenge

The ultimate goal of medical insurance services is to address the last-mile challenge and deliver benefits directly to the people. With its vast territory, sparse population, and high average altitude, Xizang has historically faced challenges where farmers and herders encountered difficulties such as "long travel distances, complicated procedures, and lengthy waiting times" when seeking medical reimbursement. To address this, the region's medical insurance system has prioritized extending services to the grassroots, vigorously promoting the adoption of online medical insurance settlement. All 670 eligible township health centers, 14 community health service centers, and 2,949 village clinics in the region have been incorporated into the direct medical insurance settlement network, initially achieving the goal of "treating minor illnesses without leaving the county or district."

"I can get reimbursed directly for medical treatment at the village clinic, and the medicine expenses are settled on the spot!" Exclaimed Dundrup Drolma, a villager from Gangxi Village, Geding Town, Sakya County, Xigaze City, holding her reimbursement slip with a bright smile.

Moreover, grassroots medical institutions have been equipped with professional personnel who provide hands-on guidance to farmers and herders on how to use the medical insurance system and handle related procedures, ensuring that people can enjoy convenient and efficient medical insurance services right at their doorsteps.

Data show that since the launch of the medical insurance network, the average time for farmers and herders to seek medical reimbursement has been reduced from three days to 15 minutes, with round-trip travel costs decreasing by 80%. The phenomenon of "delaying minor illnesses and enduring serious ones" has significantly diminished. Outpatient visits at township health centers have increased by approximately 40% year-on-year, and more farmers and herders are proactively choosing to seek medical treatment locally, benefiting from high-quality and convenient medical insurance services.

Cross-regional collaboration: Breaking geographical barriers with "Cross-Provincial Services"

"I can handle Xizang's medical insurance registration right in Chengdu without mailing documents back to my hometown. It's so convenient!" Said Lhamo, an insured resident from Nyingchi working in Sichuan, who easily completed her registration for seeking medical treatment in other regions via the "Xizang Medical Insurance" WeChat mini-program.

As a frontier region, Xizang has a significant number of migrant workers and residents living in other areas, and cross-regional medical settlement was once a major concern for the people. To address this, the region's medical insurance authorities have focused on cross-regional collaboration as a breakthrough, actively coordinating with Xizang Autonomous Region's "Internet + Government Services" Office. They have comprehensively integrated the medical insurance information platform with the government service integration platform and connected the unified identity authentication systems.

Currently, high-frequency service items such as cross-regional medical settlement registration, medical insurance code application, and basic medical insurance enrollment information changes are all available for cross-province handling, with 28 medical insurance administration services accessible through "one-net processing".

In response to the needs of the people, Xizang has also added Tibetan navigation and operation guides on channels such as the "Xizang Medical Insurance" WeChat mini-program, providing insured people with dual-channel services of "online handling + offline agency".

As of the end of October 2025, Xizang, as the insured region, has handled cross-province medical settlements for 9.2843 million insured individuals, with total costs amounting to 4.837 billion yuan. As the treatment destination, it has provided settlement services for 534,400 individuals. This practice of "service without borders" ensures uninterrupted medical insurance coverage for the mobile population.

Empowered by technology and rooted in service, Xizang's medical insurance system is building a comprehensive, convenient, and efficient medical security network across the snowy plateau, allowing the health and well-being of people of all ethnic groups to take root, blossom, and bear fruit.

Reporter: Drolma Tsering

Translator: Luo Rongting, Zhi Xinghua

Review: Hu Rongguo, Li Chengye