The Health Insurance Organization is thinking about setting a limit on what patients pay for some medications. This is part of their plan to fix a recent problem in the General Health System (GHS).
This problem started after changes to drug lists when patents expired on some original drugs, leading to price drops. In some cases, patient payments went over 20 euros.
This topic was discussed in a meeting at the Health Insurance Organization. Representatives from the Cyprus Association of Research and Innovation Pharmaceutical Companies, the Cyprus Pharmaceutical Companies Association, and the Federation of Cyprus Patients’ Associations joined in.
The proposal that looks most likely to pass suggests capping patient contributions at around 8 euros.
Any amount over this cap would be covered by an agreement between the Health Insurance Organization and pharmaceutical companies.
The companies haven’t given a clear answer yet but agreed to look over the proposal and get back within a week.
This issue mainly impacts elderly patients who often find it hard to switch treatments. Alternative medications might have different ingredients and could affect their health stability.
