Ministry of Health's step on drug coverage in primary healthcare services

The Ministry of Health is preparing to expand the list of drugs covered by health insurance in primary healthcare facilities to include 349 drugs, while also considering the inclusion of next-generation cancer treatments.

Drug Coverage Expanding in Primary Care

Responding to the request of voters in Vinh Long province, the Ministry of Health announced that it has reviewed and revised the list of drugs covered by the Health Insurance Fund. With this revision, insurance coverage in primary healthcare facilities is expected to be expanded to include 349 drugs.

Patient Benefits and Savings Goal

Thanks to this planned regulation, it is aimed for patients to be able to access medicines directly at primary healthcare facilities. Thus, it is hoped to reduce the need for referrals to higher-level facilities and save on travel time and costs.

Next-Generation Cancer Treatments on the Agenda

The Ministry of Health plans to add next-generation cancer treatments and biological drugs, such as monoclonal antibodies and immunotherapy drugs which have high treatment efficacy, to the list. In this process, the goal is to establish a balance between the patients' ability to pay and the capacity of the fund.

Reimbursement Based on Technical Expertise Level

Another important change under review is that drug reimbursements will be made according to technical expertise levels rather than hospital categories. The list, organized by active ingredient name, allows for an increase in the number of ready-made drugs reimbursed by the fund.