Including outpatient medications for patients with chronic diseases such as hypertension and diabetes in China's medical insurance scheme, and allowing them to claim 50 percent of the costs will reduce the waste of medical resources in addition to reducing the economic burden of patients, according to a commentary by Luo Zhihua, a doctor, in The Beijing News.
At the conclusion of this year’s two sessions, China's annual top legislative meetings, Chinese Premier Li Keqiang said at a press conference on March 15 that outpatients with chronic diseases will be covered by medical insurance and 50 percent will be reimbursed, which will benefit China's 400 million patients with hypertension and diabetes. A timeline for implementation was not given.
Currently, patients pay for medications for chronic diseases out of pocket, and this financial burden brings high pressure on families. This means that patients often reduce their dose or stop taking the medication, which then results in further, even more costly medical complications, such as heart or kidney disease.
It will also stop some illegal practices, such as patients being hospitalized in order to receive drugs that would not normally be covered by insurance. Not only might they end up with unnecessary treatment, which costs money, but they occupy a bed that may be needed by someone with a genuine medical need.