President Andrzej Duda, in the presence of Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki, signed a law extending the group of people entitled to free medicines to children under 18 and seniors over 65. After the change, the program should be available to approximately 16 million people. How has the list of reimbursed medicines changed over the years and what do Poles think of the new programme?
Action against free drugs signed by the president
Expanding the group of patients entitled to free medicines to include children under 18 and seniors over 65 is in fact support for families and a matter of health protection at a grassroots level, President Andrzej Duda stressed after he passed the law on this issue had signed.
This concerns the amendment of the Public Health Care Act and the Act on the Reimbursement of Medicines, Foods for Special Nutrition and Medical Devices.
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Drug Reimbursement Act
As Polish Radio 24 reminds: In 2000, the Drug Reimbursement Act was introduced – it replaced the self-payment system for medicines and introduced three groups of medicines: basic medicines, 100% reimbursed, additional, 50% reimbursed, and off-label medicines reimbursed at 30%. The costs are covered in whole or in part by the National Health Fund, and the reimbursement is intended not only to provide patients with access to effective and safe medicines, but also to reduce treatment costs.
The first amendment to the law took place in 2004. Then it was introduced the concept of the funding limit, ie the amount to which the National Health Fund is obliged to co-finance the purchase of the drug by the patient. In addition, the possibility to reimburse certain over-the-counter (OTC) medicines was introduced and the reimbursement level for certain groups of medicines was increased.
Under the 2008 amendment introduced, among other things, the obligation to publish a list of reimbursed medicines every two months, instead of every quarter, and the possibility of reimbursement of certain foods for special nutritional purposes and medical devices.
The biggest reform of the system took place in 2012. At that time, the concept of the guaranteed benefit package was introduced, i.e. a set of medicines and other healthcare services to which the patient is entitled under the public healthcare system.
Medicines are divided into four payment levels: free, PLN 1, 30 percent. and 50 percent wholesale price. An obligation to negotiate prices and reimbursement terms between producers and the Minister of Health was also introduced.
The 2016 amendment also brought major changes. At that time, the possibility was introduced to reimburse certain innovative (original) products on the basis of so-called therapeutic programs, ie special treatment programs for specific groups of patients. The possibility of reimbursement has also been introduced for some generic (generic) products on the basis of the so-called limit cost list, ie a list of products with the same active substance and dose, which are available for the same price.
In turn, things will change from 2020 related to the possibility of refunding certain products under the so-called pilot programs, ie programs aimed at checking the effectiveness and safety of new medical technologies under clinical conditions. Some products are also reimbursed under so-called commercial programs, ie programs financed by the manufacturer or distributor of the product.
The cost of reimbursement of medicines in Poland – according to data from 2020 – was about PLN 18.5 billion, which was about 25 percent. total health care expenditure. Compared to 2019, repayment costs have increased by about PLN 1.5 billion.
What do the Poles think?
How do Poles rate the law on free drugs? Polskie Radio 24’s interlocutors praise the actions of the government and the president.
Great decision. Now it is so expensive that all this help brings joy
– stressed Ms Małgorzata, mother of three. The woman added that free medicines will be a great support for the household budget.
Seniors also appreciate the changes. Ms Jadwiga said she supports the idea of free medicines, and she is particularly pleased with the inclusion of free medicines for children and teenagers, allowing parents to use the money saved for extra lessons for their children, for example.
I have a modest pension, so I am happy with such support. We seniors have always been such a forgotten group. Today, thanks to these “thirteen”, “fourteen”, or now free drugs, a person feels that he is important to someone
noted another retiree. Another woman added that she was pleased with the reduction in the age at which free medicines are available. She emphasized that “this will make it easier to ‘get’ 75th”.
I always get caught up in something. What they save, I spend on my grandson
said the eldest.
The Ministry of Health will publish the new lists on its website. The new list for seniors totals nearly 3,800 free medications. In addition, there will also be a list of medicines for children and young people up to the age of 18, containing more than 2,800 medicines.
wkt/Polish Radio 24
Source: wPolityce