Membership of the New Rural Cooperative Medical Scheme, a health insurance program for rural residents, stayed above 95 percent in 2014, said Ma Xiaowei, deputy director of the National Health and Family Planning Commission at the State Council's weekly policy briefing on Feb 6.

Subsidies from local governments rose to 320 yuan ($52) per person, and the level of individual payments went up as well so that farmers can now get 75 percent of their hospitalization expenses reimbursed and 50 percent of their outpatient service costs can be covered, said Ma.

In 2015, the government will keep on improving financing for the program, with annual government subsidies expected to be raised to 380 yuan per person, with individual payments expected to rise accordingly, he added.