The plan to provide free medicines for children and for adults aged 65 and over is expected to begin no later than early 2024. Officials are also weighing a scenario that would start in September 2023, if finances allow. This was communicated by Public Health Minister Adam Sunday.
Free medicines starting earlier: September 2023?
Health Minister Adam Niedzielski was questioned on Polsat News about whether the free medicine program would be extended to include 65+ residents and youths up to 18 years old. At present, the program targets people aged 75 and older.
Officials indicated they are in the decision-making stage. The plan remains on track for early 2024 at the latest, but a scenario to begin a few months sooner, possibly by the end of September or starting in September 2023, is being explored.
The health minister added that the urgency stems from the desire to broaden the list and speed up program implementation. A cost analysis reportedly shows that the government can accommodate these medicines within current year expenses.
Reimbursed medicines
Current assessments indicate roughly 4,000 medicines are covered under the reimbursement system. The 75+ program has already included about 2,000 medicines as free drugs.
When asked about the scale of expansion, Niedzielski explained that the plan envisions a comprehensive list of reimbursed medicines, amounting to about 4,100 items, all of which would be included in the program. The objective is to ensure the full list of reimbursed drugs is available within the program framework.
The head of the Ministry stressed that every medicine considered for inclusion undergoes a thorough assessment of public health impact. This involves examining whether the state’s expenditure aligns with the clinical benefits before public funds are used for reimbursement.
The minister emphasized that the free medicines program does not mean medicines simply available in pharmacies. The program relies on medicines already reimbursed from the prescription drug pool.
Why include children in the list?
The question arose about extending free medicines to children. The minister acknowledged the strategic reasoning behind this decision. Expanding aid to seniors helps address a high cost burden associated with multimorbidity and chronic conditions. At the same time, extending benefits to young people aims to ensure all children, regardless of parental income, have access to effective medicines and controlled drug therapies.
These considerations reflect a public health approach that balances support for the elderly with the goal of safeguarding children’s access to essential medicines.
Program UL PiS
The plan to offer free medicines to those aged 65+ and to children and youths up to 18 was announced in mid-May by PiS President Jarosław Kaczyński at a convention titled Programowy Street of Law and Justice.
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Source: wPolityce