ZhongAn Obtains Internet Hospital License to Build a New 'Insurance + Healthcare' Ecosystem

VCBeat (WeChat ID: vcbeat) has learned at the earliest opportunity that on July 24, ZhongAn, a listed insurance company, announced externally that it had alreadyRecently Obtained Internet Hospital License, and actively advance the layout of its internet hospital. By integrating internet insurance with internet hospital services, ZhongAn will create a high-quality closed-loop medical service ecosystem, providing users with superior healthcare services and health protection. In addition, ZhongAn simultaneously launched the “ZhongAn Care ‘Jia’” initiative, introducing the Zunxiang E-Sheng (Youjia Edition) specifically designed for individuals with thyroid nodules. This product is also ZhongAn’s first million-yuan medical insurance plan available to post-operative patients with thyroid diseases.

Since the inception of internet hospital licenses, offline hospitals have actively embraced digital transformation by establishing a healthcare model that combines online appointment scheduling with offline consultations, thereby improving patients’ medical experience. Meanwhile, internet companies have also joined the ranks of internet hospitals, leveraging their online advantages to collaborate with offline medical systems and deliver convenient, affordable, and people-centric internet-based healthcare services.

Although ZhongAn is not among the “pioneers” of internet hospitals, it has leveraged the experience gained by earlier internet hospital platforms and capitalized on its own strengths in online insurance.Explored the exclusive new business model of "Internet Hospital + Insurance"。

Internet hospitals are currently still in the early stages of “Internet + Healthcare.” As a critical hub connecting healthcare providers, patients, pharmacies, and insurers, internet hospitals must continue to address the pain points of these four stakeholders in their future development. Under the traditional model, patients had to engage in separate, one-on-one interactions with medical institutions, partner pharmacies, and insurance companies, which was time-consuming, labor-intensive, and inconvenient. With its entry into the internet hospital sector, ZhongAn will upgrade to a 2.0 closed-loop service model, delivering one-stop services that seamlessly connect hospitals, pharmacies, and insurance companies.

Zhao Yi, Senior Director of Partnership Expansion at ZhongAn Medical, stated that in the future, ZhongAn Internet Hospital will serve as an important bridge connecting medical institutions, partner pharmacies, patients, and ZhongAn Insurance. ZhongAn will also leverage its internet insurance innovationsNew Definition: Payers of New Healthcare, through the internet hospital hub, direct insurance payments are made to medical institutions and partner pharmacies, eliminating the lengthy wait for patients who previously had to pay out-of-pocket before seeking insurance reimbursement.

As an internet insurance enterprise, currentlyZhongAn has been able to provide online consultation services for insurance users., as ZhongAn Internet Hospital gradually expands its footprint, it will be possible to build upon this foundation in the futureProvide online consultations for non-critical illnesses and home delivery of medications, among other services., effectively reducing the time cost of queuing for hospital registration.

In recent years, the malignancy rate of thyroid nodules has risen rapidly. Data from the National Cancer Registry Center indicates that the incidence of thyroid cancer in China will continue to grow at an annual rate of 20%. According to the "Report on Cancer Prevention Science Popularization for Chinese Young and Middle-Aged Adults," the prevalence of thyroid nodules is 18.6%, including individuals who are asymptomatic, unaware of their condition, or have not sought medical attention. Conservatively estimated, there are over 250 million people with thyroid nodules in China.

In response to this situation, ZhongAn has specially customized the “Zunxiang E-Sheng” Youjia Edition for individuals with thyroid conditions, making it available to patients with thyroid nodules. Patients with TI-RADS grade 1–3 nodules can be covered as long as they meet the health disclosure requirements. Additionally, patients who have undergone thyroid surgery may also apply to purchase the “Zunxiang E-Sheng” Youjia Edition once their condition has stabilized.

To this end, Kong Qingkun, Senior Director of Product Development at ZhongAn Insurance, stated that with the aid of high-resolution ultrasound, the detection rate for thyroid cancer can reach 85% to 90%, and the 10-year survival rate following timely treatment can exceed 90%. Currently, many people are concerned about the exclusion of thyroid cancer from critical illness insurance coverage. ZhongAn has addressed this gap by incorporating coverage into its million-yuan medical insurance plans.

It is reported that ZhongAn’s “Zunxiang E-Sheng” Youjia Edition, a million-yuan medical insurance product, offers customized services exclusively for patients with thyroid nodules. With a maximum coverage of RMB 4 million, the annual premium starts at just RMB 194, averaging approximately RMB 16 per month.

Internet hospitals serve as a vital bridge connecting the healthcare and insurance industries. For ZhongAn, establishing an internet hospital is an indispensable component of its strategic layout within the broader health ecosystem. Given the inextricable link between insurance and medical services, ZhongAn will leverage medical technology through its internet hospital to deeply explore blockchain applications for medical data. By feeding this medical data back into ZhongAn’s health insurance models, the company aims to create a mutually beneficial synergy between healthcare and insurance.

It is foreseeable that ZhongAn Internet Hospital will serve as a connector for medical services, empowering the ZhongAn Health ecosystem. Currently, ZhongAn’s layout in the health ecosystem has formed a pattern of three parallel lines and multi-point deployment, including ZhongAn Health Insurance, ZhongAn Life, and ZhongAn Commercial Insurance Technology.

The 2018 annual report shows that Health Ecology achieved a total gross written premium of RMB 2.87 billion last year, representing a year-on-year increase of 138.2%. The health insurance and broader health industries still hold substantial room for growth. In particular, young people’s awareness of health responsibility and management has been steadily rising in recent years, and the health needs of next-generation users also warrant close attention.

Zhao Yi, Senior Director of Medical Partnership Expansion at ZhongAn Insurance, stated that ZhongAn will continue to explore health management programs within the commercial insurance framework. Through continuous innovation and experimentation, ZhongAn will provide integrated services combining online diagnosis and treatment with commercial insurance payment. By leveraging its internet hospital network, ZhongAn aims to offer users a comprehensive, closed-loop solution spanning disease prevention, tracking and intervention, health management, as well as insurance coverage and medical services. Meanwhile, the company will expand its services in the fields of public health and tech-driven medical data, continuously connecting with a broad ecosystem of partners while further exploring and deepening its market presence.