Long-term care insurance in China: public or private?

China faces an overwhelming and urgent need for long-term care (LTC). We explored long-term care insurance (LTCI) plans in China and the factors associated with each plan's contribution rate. A cross-sectional survey of 814 residents (18-59 years) was conducted to assess the expectations of elderly care, public and private LTCI features. Public LTCI may be more popular whether in terms of participation or contribution. The factors associated with public LTCI contribution rate were healthcare costs, household income, and number of daughters; for private LTCI, the factors were the proportion of living expenditures, worry about future care problems, and healthcare costs. Policymakers should develop public LTCI as a solid foundation and improve private LTCI as a substitute to meet the urgent LTC needs in China.