BEIJING -- More than 1.6 billion yuan (247.5 million U.S. dollars) worth of medical expenses for COVID-19 patients was covered by China's medical insurance funds last year, according to official data.

By adding medical supplies and medicines used in COVID-19 treatment to the medical insurance coverage catalog, prices for nucleic acid test and antibody test reagents have been reduced by more than 70 percent and 40 percent, respectively, said Hu Jinglin, head of the National Healthcare Security Administration.

Having launched the COVID-19 vaccination program on Dec. 15 last year, the country's health authorities have promised free vaccines for all, with the costs covered by medical insurance funds and government fiscal.

As of 2020, 1.36 billion people in China had signed up for basic medical insurance, statistics showed.