——Patients seeking treatment for multiple myeloma can now seek reimbursement under the public medical insurance system
(May 20, 2015, Hohhot) The Medical Insurance Bureau of Inner Mongolia announced that it has officially signed a Medical Insurance Targeted Medicine Payment Agreement with Xian Janssen Pharmaceutical Ltd., allowing VELCADE® (bortezomib for injection, 3.5mg/each) to be covered for the first time under the urban basic medical insurance from 1 January 2015. The new policy is planned to be implemented in the cities of Hohhot and Baotou.
So far this year the government of the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region has added 12 target drugs treating malignant tumors, including VELCADE® for multiple myeloma, into the reimbursement list for urban basic medical insurance. Participants in the urban basic medical insurance scheme who have the indications and receive standardized clinical treatments of the target drugs for malignant tumors (without any contraindication) will benefit from this policy.
Under this agreement, the collective fund for urban basic medical insurance will cover 35% of treatment costs before patients receive medicine donation from charitable bodies, while the large quantity medical insurance (supplementary commercial medical insurance) will pay another 35% for urban workers. The major illness insurance will reimburse another 35% for urban residents. The reimbursed treatment costs of targeted drugs for malignant tumors within a year shall be less than the annual maximum payment.
VELCADE® is the only targeted drug for multiple myeloma that is reimbursed by the urban basic medical insurance in Inner Mongolia. “Multiple myeloma is a type of hematologic cancer, which may occur in many sites of the bone marrow and bones. In China, the incidence rate is about 2.23/100,000, which exceeds acute leukemia to become the second-most prevalent hematologic malignancy,” said Gao Da, Director of Department of Hematology, First Affiliated Hospital of Inner Mongolia Medical University.
“According to clinical studies, nearly two-thirds of multiple myeloma patients have a high tumor burden that impairs multiple organ functions when first diagnosed,” said Jin Arong, Director of Department of Hematology, Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region Hospital, “Patients suffering symptoms such as bone pain, anemia, renal function impairment and repeated infection should visit a hematologist for accurate diagnosis and treatment as early as possible. Only when the cancer is detected early can we effectively control disease progression.”
“The inclusion of VELCADE® under the scope of urban basic medical insurance will lead to better treatment options for patients in Inner Mongolia suffering from multiple myeloma. It will drastically ease the financial burden of insured patients and improve overall quality of life. Xian Janssen Pharmaceuticals will continue our close cooperation with the relevant government authorities to support the national medical insurance program, and making unremitting endeavors to provide high-quality innovative drugs for patients,” said Ms. Wang Tongyan, vice president of Xian Janssen Pharmaceutical Ltd.
Ms. Zheng Lei, vice president of Xian Janssen Pharmaceutical Ltd. said, “This agreement will deepen the reform of the medical insurance system in the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, accelerate the establishment of a multi-level medical security system, and make best use of medical insurance funds. It will also set a positive model for other provinces and cities. We will follow the instructions of local government and support the implement of the new policy to benefit people in Inner Mongolia. We hope that more patients suffering from major diseases or rare diseases will gain support from healthcare programs across China in the future.”
It has been reported that Inner Mongolia will establish a unified price under the medical insurance system within the autonomous region and target drugs will be managed solely by outpatient departments of designated medical institutions. As medical insurance agencies will charge the local designated medical institutions through the online settlement service, insured patients only need to pay the “self-pay” portion. At present, the Medical Insurance Bureau of Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region and municipal health insurance agencies are optimizing a real-time settlement system and deciding on designated hospitals and pharmacies.