The NDRC and two other ministries issued guidance to refine price-formation
mechanisms and expand affordable elderly-care services. Provincial civil affairs
departments will lead a classification reform, define institutional categories
and set specific recognition criteria for affordable-support elderly-care
providers. Civil affairs departments at prefecture level and above will handle
recognition and step up support for facility construction and land supply,
including converting idle public service facilities into elderly-care sites via
public-built/public-operated or public-built/private-operated models to enlarge
affordable capacity. Guidance calls for safety-net institutions to open spare
beds to the public, provide affordable services, and establish income management
and performance-incentive systems. Fully market-based providers are encouraged
to offer affordable services with local policy support. Central and local
state-owned enterprises establishing new elderly-care institutions should expand
affordable service supply.
