Medication fees climb on new DOH criteria - Taiwan

[Guest guest]

http://www.chinapost.com.tw/taiwan/national/national-news/2011/08/15/313423/Medi\

cation-fees.htm

Updated Monday, August 15, 2011 11:18 pm TWN, The China Post news staff

Medication fees climb on new DOH criteria

The China Post news staff--Medication fees have increased by NT$1.7 billion

since the Department of Health (DOH) loosened the criteria for medication for

indications of hepatitis B and C, and hospitals are worried that patients'

rights might be sacrificed as hospitals are asked to deal with the extra bills.

With over three million carriers, hepatitis type B and C have long been

prevalent diseases in Taiwan. Beginning seven years ago, the DOH has been

promoting a hepatitis B and C treatment pilot program to encourage patients'

willingness to receive medication.

Last year, the DOH loosened the criteria for medication for indications of the

diseases, and the number of patients seeking medication has greatly increased,

resulting in increased medical bills.

While 9,263 patients with hepatitis B and 5,142 patients with hepatitis C had

sought medication in 2009, numbers for 2010 increased to 17,771 hepatitis B

patients and 14,415 hepatitis C patients; as a result, medical bills for these

treatments increased from NT$ 10.94 billion to NT$ 28.16 billion, far exceeding

the budget the DOH had designated, and hospitals were asked to bear the

financial burden.

Wu Ming-yen (§d©ú«Û), secretary-general of the Taiwan Non-governmental Hospitals

and Clinics Association (NHCA), criticized the policy, saying that the DOH is

¡§bullying¡¨ hospitals by loosening the criteria without implementing follow-up

solutions to the financial problems.

Hospitals could delay patients' examinations when they realize that the more

patients they see, the more financial deficits they face, Wu said. That

patients' rights could be so sacrificed was echoed by Chen Hsueh-fen (³¯³·ªâ),

the secretary-general of the Taiwan Medical Centers Association.

According to Chen, when hospitals face serious deficits, it is possible that

they might ¡§morally persuade¡¨ physicians to limit the numbers of patients they

see, so as to reduce the deficit hospitals face.

In response to hospitals' concerns, Tsai Shui-ling (½²²Q¹a), a division director

at the Bureau of National Health Insurance (BNHI), said that the BNHI has

distributed to hospitals the several billions saved from adjusting drug prices

to hospitals to make up for the medication deficits.

Also, when the BNHI budget is devised for 2012, it will take into account the

deficits hospitals might face and adjust the budgeting accordingly, Tsai added.

[Guest guest]

http://www.chinapost.com.tw/taiwan/national/national-news/2011/08/15/313423/Medi\

cation-fees.htm

Updated Monday, August 15, 2011 11:18 pm TWN, The China Post news staff

Medication fees climb on new DOH criteria

The China Post news staff--Medication fees have increased by NT$1.7 billion

since the Department of Health (DOH) loosened the criteria for medication for

indications of hepatitis B and C, and hospitals are worried that patients'

rights might be sacrificed as hospitals are asked to deal with the extra bills.

With over three million carriers, hepatitis type B and C have long been

prevalent diseases in Taiwan. Beginning seven years ago, the DOH has been

promoting a hepatitis B and C treatment pilot program to encourage patients'

willingness to receive medication.

Last year, the DOH loosened the criteria for medication for indications of the

diseases, and the number of patients seeking medication has greatly increased,

resulting in increased medical bills.

While 9,263 patients with hepatitis B and 5,142 patients with hepatitis C had

sought medication in 2009, numbers for 2010 increased to 17,771 hepatitis B

patients and 14,415 hepatitis C patients; as a result, medical bills for these

treatments increased from NT$ 10.94 billion to NT$ 28.16 billion, far exceeding

the budget the DOH had designated, and hospitals were asked to bear the

financial burden.

Wu Ming-yen (§d©ú«Û), secretary-general of the Taiwan Non-governmental Hospitals

and Clinics Association (NHCA), criticized the policy, saying that the DOH is

¡§bullying¡¨ hospitals by loosening the criteria without implementing follow-up

solutions to the financial problems.

Hospitals could delay patients' examinations when they realize that the more

patients they see, the more financial deficits they face, Wu said. That

patients' rights could be so sacrificed was echoed by Chen Hsueh-fen (³¯³·ªâ),

the secretary-general of the Taiwan Medical Centers Association.

According to Chen, when hospitals face serious deficits, it is possible that

they might ¡§morally persuade¡¨ physicians to limit the numbers of patients they

see, so as to reduce the deficit hospitals face.

In response to hospitals' concerns, Tsai Shui-ling (½²²Q¹a), a division director

at the Bureau of National Health Insurance (BNHI), said that the BNHI has

distributed to hospitals the several billions saved from adjusting drug prices

to hospitals to make up for the medication deficits.

Also, when the BNHI budget is devised for 2012, it will take into account the

deficits hospitals might face and adjust the budgeting accordingly, Tsai added.