In recent years, based on the positioning of basic medical insurance as “basic insurance”, the National Medical Insurance Administration has gradually included rare disease drugs that have definite curative effects and can be borne by the medical insurance fund into the scope of medical insurance payment. On this basis, vigorously promote the development of commercial health insurance, strengthen the connection between various security systems, improve the level of medical security for insured patients at multiple levels, and effectively reduce the burden of medication for patients with rare diseases.
In February 2020, the “Opinions of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China and the State Council on Deepening the Reform of the Medical Security System” clearly stated that “by 2030, basic medical insurance will be the main body, medical assistance will be the backing, supplementary medical insurance, commercial health insurance, and charitable donations will be fully established. , medical mutual aid and common development of the medical security system”. Especially in the field of rare diseases, multi-level medical security is particularly important.
Professor Ding Jinxi, executive vice president of the Graduate School of China Pharmaceutical University: Some high-value and ultra-high-value drugs for rare diseases cost more than 500,000 yuan, or even 1 million yuan or 2 million yuan a year for treatment. In fact, at this stage It is still difficult to directly enter the national basic medical insurance.
Various regions actively explore financing mechanisms for rare disease treatment
In order to solve the problem of treatment burden for families with rare diseases, many beneficial explorations have been made in commercial insurance, charitable donations, and medical mutual aid. In January this year, Jiangsu Province passed the “Jiangsu Province Medical Security Regulations”, requiring the implementation of provincial overall planning and separate fundraising for rare disease drug security funds, and the establishment of a multi-channel financing mechanism led by the government and participated by market players and social charitable organizations.
Zhang Aihua, Chairman of the Rare Diseases Branch of Jiangsu Medical Association, Director of Nanjing Children’s Hospital: Because its cost base is relatively large, and 10% of the personal burden is tens of thousands, so commercial insurance and charitable assistance are needed to supplement and pay the patients Reimbursement for this part of the company will further reduce their burden.
[Responsible editor: Shao Bingqi]