It illustrated the connotation and development of the essential healthcare scheme from the perspective of origin，ontology， relationship， development and prospect.Clarifying the orientation， attribute and function， it made clear the relationshipbetween the essential healthcare scheme and other key definitions such as health reform and modernization of health governance.Itpointed out the theoretical and operational shortcomings and analyzed new situation and requirements such as the implementation ofthe Healthy China Strategy and the Common Prosperity Strategy.Recommendations includes further building consensus， promotingconsolidation and deepening of existing regimes， complementing the weak points in institutional construction and speeding up theformation of institutional clusters.