Proposal to Add 76 New Drugs to Health Insurance Coverage List
Cancer and immune therapies make up the largest group in the biggest update in 8 years
The Ministry of Health is proposing to add 76 new drugs to the list covered by Health Insurance (BHYT). This information was shared at a workshop discussing the draft Circular on the List of Chemical Drugs, Biologic Products, etc., held on the morning of November 28.
Among the 76 proposed additions, 28 drugs are for cancer and immune modulation treatment, with 22 of these being targeted therapies. Ms. Tran Thi Trang, Director of the Health Insurance Department (Ministry of Health), noted that this group represents the largest addition in this revision and is currently the most expensive category, featuring many newer medications.
The goal of issuing the new drug list is to promote a policy of rational, safe, and effective drug use, while ensuring the rights of BHYT participants and gradually reducing the percentage of out-of-pocket expenses for those insured.
This current drug list adjustment represents the largest update in the past 8 years. The review process examined all 1,037 active ingredients in the current list. The drafting committee proposes the following changes:
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Adding 76 new drugs.
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Modifying payment rate and condition regulations for 47 drugs.
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Removing 130 drugs that no longer meet the established criteria.
According to estimates from the Health Insurance Department, changing the payment conditions for the 47 drugs is expected to save patients approximately 105 billion VND over 5 years (averaging 21 billion VND annually), as the reduction in patient self-paid costs (376 billion VND) outweighs the increase in co-payment costs (271 billion VND).
The removal of 130 drugs (mostly non-circulating drugs) is estimated to save the BHYT fund 3,343 billion VND next year and save patients 82.6 billion VND in co-payment costs.
Ms. Trang also reported that in 2024, the total cost for BHYT medical examination and treatment was nearly 150 billion VND, with drug payments accounting for 30%. Approximately 40 million people regularly use BHYT for check-ups, corresponding to 186 million visits annually. Despite this coverage, people still pay 40% of medical expenses out-of-pocket.
