Ministry of Health Proposes Expanding Insurance Coverage for Traditional Medicine
It is planned to increase the list of traditional medicine drugs covered by the health insurance fund to 358 items and include herbal combinations.
The Ministry of Health has proposed increasing the list of traditional medicine drugs covered by health insurance by 129 items to 358 and incorporating herbal-based combination medicines into the system.
Draft Circular and New List
The Ministry of Health is gathering feedback on the draft circular covering traditional medicine drugs and treatment methods under insurance coverage. With the new regulation, the list will increase by 129 items, reaching a total of 358 items.
Medicinal Herbs and Combinations
While the list of medicinal herbs decreases from the current 349 items to 344 items, a separate list consisting of 35 herbal-based combination drugs to be covered by the Health Insurance Fund has been proposed.
Health Insurance Expenditures
Drug expenses account for more than 31 percent of total Health Insurance Fund expenditures, whereas traditional medicine expenses account for only about 5.4 percent of this fund.
Future Goals and Strategy
The Ministry of Health aims to integrate traditional medicine with modern medicine, increase examination reimbursement rates, and ensure a patient-centered scientific development.