Chen Dongmei: Corporate Health Protection Ushers in a Historic Development Opportunity
Chen Dongmei, associate professor in the Department of Risk Management and Insurance at the School of Economics, Fudan University, and a researcher at the Green Finance Research Center, stated in an exclusive interview with Economic Information Daily that with the "15th Five-Year Plan" proposal calling for "accelerating the building of a Healthy China," corporate health protection has completed its transformation from an "administrative cost" to a "strategic investment," ushering in a historic development opportunity.
Recently, Cigna & CMB Life Insurance Co., Ltd. (hereinafter referred to as "Cigna & CMB") and the Economic Information Daily/Xinhua Health platform under Xinhua News Agency (hereinafter referred to as "Xinhua Health") jointly released the "2025 White Paper on the Development of Corporate Health Protection in China." Chen Dongmei is one of the guiding experts for the "2025 White Paper on the Development of Corporate Health Protection in China" (hereinafter referred to as the "White Paper"). She believes that China's social security system currently faces multiple challenges such as an aging population, increasing burden of chronic diseases, and continuously rising medical costs. As a bridge connecting national basic security with individual protection, corporate health protection not only bears the responsibility of improving the social security network but also becomes a crucial support for promoting high-quality economic development, with its value already surpassing the scope of traditional welfare.
In her view, the strategic significance of corporate health protection is mainly reflected in three aspects: first, by constructing a multi-level protection system, it compensates for the shortcomings of basic medical insurance and alleviates fiscal pressure on the state; second, it becomes a core competitiveness for enterprises to attract and retain talent, as employee health is directly related to a company's innovation vitality and operational efficiency; third, through risk-sharing mechanisms, it stabilizes corporate expectations for labor costs and enhances economic resilience.
"China's social security policies are undergoing a profound transformation from 'broad coverage' to 'optimized structure,' presenting a historic development opportunity for corporate health protection," Chen Dongmei emphasized. Digital transformation is driving the upgrade of corporate health protection from "post-event compensation" to "full-cycle health management" encompassing "prevention-treatment-rehabilitation." "Insurance companies can leverage big data for precise pricing, optimize claims processes with artificial intelligence, and develop diversified innovative products around new demands such as chronic disease management, elderly care, and mental health, thereby transitioning from risk bearers to health management partners."
Chen Dongmei believes that the White Paper systematically reviews the current development status, policy environment, and practical cases of corporate health protection, analyzes future trends from multiple dimensions, provides path guidance for enterprises to optimize their protection systems, and offers cutting-edge perspectives for academic research. "This report is not only a summary of the current situation but can also serve as a beneficial catalyst for promoting industry innovation and improving institutional design."
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