Minister of Health and Welfare Shih Chung-liang（石崇良） said that, to strengthen pharmaceutical supply resilience, the Ministry of Health and Welfare (MOHW) plans to consider legislative amendments allowing balance billing for brand-name drugs. Under the proposed approach, the National Health Insurance (NHI) program would reimburse medicines based on the price of basic generic or biosimilar alternatives, while patients choosing a brand-name product would pay the difference.

IRPMA Secretary General Chen Chuan-wen （陳全文） pointed out that some off-patent legacy drugs have seen their National Health Insurance reimbursement prices reduced year after year, in some cases falling to the floor price, leading pharmaceutical companies to stop supplying them. IRPMA therefore supports prioritizing the implementation of balance billing for low-priced legacy drugs that are already facing supply shortages. Chen recommended conducting financial and affordability assessments before implementation and establishing a ceiling on the patient-paid price difference. Patients could pay approximately 15% to 20% more to use an brand-name drug, helping address the supply difficulties faced by manufacturers. However, he cautioned against applying balance billing to high-cost innovative treatments, including targeted cancer therapies, cell therapies, and gene therapies, as doing so could widen inequalities in access to care.

The Taiwan Generic Pharmaceutical Association welcomed the MOHW’s continued efforts to strengthen pharmaceutical supply resilience but emphasized that balance billing involves multiple considerations, including patients’ medication rights, healthcare equity, physician prescribing practices, healthcare institution management, NHI finances, and the development of Taiwan’s domestic pharmaceutical industry. As the proposal remains under feasibility assessment, the association called for broad consultation and comprehensive supporting measures before the government determines its implementation approach.

【2026-09-01/UDN】