Coverage on COVID-19 treatments to last a year

a quick review of the drug Herbal Medicine based on the latest medical case

Despite the expedited review, the health insurance reimbursement on the off-label drug would be reassessed a year after due to the COVID-19 outbreak.

 

Korea’s Health Insurance Review and Assessment Service (HIRA) disseminated a press release on Mar.

 

30 and stated, “Taking in account the latest medical case studies and expert recommendation, the healthcare reimbursement listing standards on COVID-19 related treatments were reviewed in the shortest period.

 

The decision was made to promptly provide treatments according to patient symptoms.” Interferon (including peg interferon), Kaletra (lopinavir plus ritonavir), hydroxychloroquine, ribavirin, human immunoglobulin G (IVIG), oseltamivir and zanamivir are currently used off-label with coverage to treat patients with COVID-19.

 

The treatments are used on either confirmed or suspected cases for seven to 14 days.

 

Typically, the reimbursement review takes approximately 80 days.

 

Nevertheless for the COVID-19 treatments, HIRA reported to the Ministry of Health and Welfare (MOHW) the reimbursement standard set based on the recommendation made by Korean healthcare experts on Feb.

 

3.

 

And immediately, the ministry issued related notice on the day after.

 

The additional reimbursement standard was again reported to MOHW on the day after the healthcare experts submitted an additional recommendation on Feb.

 

19, and the related notice was issued immediately.

 

The reimbursement standard set amid COVID-19 outbreak would be reassessed for reimbursement adequacy a year after according to MOHW’s notice (No.

 

2020-37).

 

Director Kim Ae-ryun of Pharmaceutical Management Department at HIRA said, “Regular reimbursement standard review generally takes more than 80 days, but the review on COVID-19 treatments were rapidly processed due to the fast spreading infectious disease.

 

The agency would do its best to provide safe and effective treatments to the people by promptly reviewing reimbursement standard at times of infectious disease outbreak.” Although there is no drug developed to specifically treat COVID-19, HIRA has established the standard based on latest medical case studies and expert’s advice, considering the urgency of the outbreak.

 

Moreover, HIRA plans to accumulate evidential data in the future, and constantly accept related academic societies’ recommendations to consolidate adequacy of the current reimbursement standards.

 

Meanwhile, HIRA is planning to swiftly review reimbursement listing and standard for Ministry of Food and Drug Safety (MFDS)-approved drugs, using the outcome of clinical trials conducted as a part of pharmaceutical rediscovery research project for COVID-19 treatment.