During a forum organized by the Taiwan Young Patient Association on Aug. 12 2023, Executive Yuan Vice Premier Cheng Wen-tsan said that to ensure the inclusion of cancer drugs and new drugs on the National Health Insurance fee schedule, the NHI global budget growth rate will need to exceed five percent to keep pace with the pressures of rising cost of goods and the aging population.
Taiwan College of Healthcare Executives President Hung Tzu-jen voiced support of the Vice Premier’s estimation but said that the five-percent growth rate remains inadequate. He pointed out that since South Korea expanded its global budget in 1994, the country has since outperformed Taiwan significantly in terms of life expectancy, infant mortality, and maternal mortality, as well as in the five-year survival rate among cancer patients. President Hung also said that if the next government administration wishes to leave its mark in elevating the health of the people, NHI global budget growth rate must be raised to 7 or 8 percent to catch up to South Korea.
As for the upcoming parallel drug review process to speed up the inclusion of cancer drugs and new drugs on the NHI fee schedule mentioned by Health Minister Hsueh Jui-yuan during the 13th Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation High-Level Meeting on Health and the Economy, President Hung said that the change could potentially add urgency for the NHI to find the funding under the quickened review process, and that insufficient funding remains the main bottleneck to patient access.
[2023-8-13/China Times]
