NHI coverage expansion expected to benefit over 2,000 patients

Taipei, Aug. 16 (CNA) Taiwan's universal health insurance system will include new drugs and relax eligibility criteria for medications treating certain diseases, an expansion expected to benefit 2,353 patients, the National Health Insurance Administration (NHIA) announced on Friday.

The adjustments to the National Health Insurance system will incur an additional annual cost of NT$2.39 billion (US$74 million), according to Huang Yu-wen (黃育文), director of the NHIA's Medical Review and Pharmaceutical Benefits Division.

Huang said that starting in September, the program will incorporate Curosurf, a medication used to treat neonatal respiratory distress syndrome, and will also ease coverage requirements for non-intubated neonatal patients.

Risankizumab, used to treat Crohn's disease, and medications containing spesolimab, used for generalized pustular psoriasis, will also be covered under specific conditions, Huang said.

In addition, eligibility criteria for medications treating atopic dermatitis have been relaxed since Aug. 1 to allow patients aged 12-17 with more severe conditions to use medications containing abrocitinib, Huang said.

Also starting Aug. 1, certain spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) patients are eligible to access medications containing nusinersen and risdiplam, according to Huang.

The NHIA noted that the expanded coverage for SMA treatments came with a price reduction agreed upon by the pharmaceutical companies, with the estimated annual drug cost per patient now forecast at approximately NT$6.6 million.

It is estimated that around 250 SMA patients will benefit from the additional coverage, which will result in an extra NT$1.9 billion in the country's drug expenses, NHIA data showed.