Taiwan Breast Cancer Alliance President Huang Su-fang on May 7 said that based on interviews, several late-stage breast cancer patients have indicated that as National Health Insurance (NHI) only covers 18 to 24 months of drugs, after which they must pay out-of-pocket. In addition, strict conditions are imposed, limiting patients' access to treatment.

Dr. Huang Po-hsiang, an attending oncologist at National Taiwan University Hospital said that while drugs for the treatment of HER2-negative breast cancer, the most common type of breast cancer, are included on the NHI fee schedule, coverage is capped at 24 months and excludes patients with brain metastasis and patients with only bone metastasis. Once the period has lapsed, patients without financial means nor private health insurance have no choice but to halt treatment.

National Health Insurance Administration (NHIA) Deputy Director General Parng I-ming said that the NHIA has made ongoing efforts at expanding coverage for cancer treatments in the past two years. He noted that while drug expenditures for cancer treatments have risen significantly, hospitalization costs have declined during the same period, resulting in a relatively stable overall treatment expenditure in line with the growing number of cancer patients. Deputy Director Parng added that treatment trends have shifted, with immunotherapy and biosimilars emerging as standard treatments. He said that doctors are encouraged to move past longstanding preferences for original drugs and adopt biosimilars instead, which are being promoted by the NHI policy.

[2025-5-7/United Daily News]