Faster Insurance for Rare Disease Drugs, Lower Costs
1Insurance coverage for rare disease drugs cut to 150 days.
2Cost-sharing between pharma and gov expands to lower patient costs.
3New domestic drugs and biosimilars included for faster access.
📖 Easy Explanation
🔍 Background
Rare disease drugs were often too expensive and took too long to get insurance coverage, causing distress for patients.
📌 Key Points
The government will cut the insurance registration period from 330 to 150 days. It will also expand the 'dual pricing' system, where pharma companies refund part of the cost to the government to lower patient expenses.
💡 Why It Matters
Patients can access expensive rare disease drugs and new treatments much faster and cheaper. This will help reduce medical costs for seniors with severe illnesses.
📚 Glossary
신속등재 (Sinsok-deungjae)A process to quickly include new drugs in health insurance coverage.
이중약가 (Ijung-yakga)A system where the list price and actual transaction price differ to lower patient costs.
시밀러 (Similar)A biological product that is highly similar to an already approved biological drug.
신약 (Sinyak)A treatment made with new ingredients or technology that did not exist before.