Health plans expected to be implemented after NA audit

including the drug pricing system reform plan and 2nd Comprehensive National Health Insurance Plan

The Prime Minister's Biohealth Innovation Committee also delayed

Gov't plans to release the national health insurance plan within the year after public hearing

The preferential drug price policy plan that reflects the value of new drugs and the 2nd comprehensive national health insurance plan, which the pharmaceutical and bio-industry are closely eyeing, is expected to be unveiled after the National Assembly audit this year.

 

The amendment to the Instructions for the Biohealth Innovation Committee under the direct control of the Prime Minister is also expected to be promoted after the National Assembly audit.

 

The schedules have been delayed compared to the original plan, and the government plans to complete the practicalities after collecting opinions from each sector after the completion of the National Assembly audit.

 

The results were revealed on the 4th when the Press Corp covered the Ministry of Health and Welfare’s plans on the innovative drug pricing system reform plan and the 2nd Comprehensive National Health Insurance Plan.

 

According to the original plan, the final results of the agenda were scheduled to be announced within September or October.

 

The reform of the drug pricing system that reflects the innovative value of new drugs and health security seeks to provide preferential drug treatment for values of new drugs such as clinical superiority essential drug status, and use of domestic APIs.

 

The MOHW originally intended to specify the policy direction by operating a public-private consultative body for preferential pricing of innovative new drugs and announce it before the NA audit, the announcement is likely to be made after the audit due to delayed operations of the consultative body.

 

The announcement of the 2nd Comprehensive National Health Insurance Plan is also being delayed compared to the original plan.

 

The pharmaceutical and bio-industry is paying close attention to the direction of the pharmaceutical policies that will be included in the 2nd Comprehensive National Health Insurance Plan.

 

This is because the pricing systems for new drugs, incrementally modified drugs, and generic drugs depend on the direction of health insurance policy operation.

 

The MOHW said that its researchers are seeking advice from the Health Insurance Policy Deliberative Committee and that it plans to hold a public hearing after the National Assembly audit to collect a broader range of opinions for the 2nd Comprehensive National Health Insurance Plan.

 

A MOHW official said, “We are currently establishing plans after collecting various opinions.

 

We plan to establish the 2nd Comprehensive National Health Insurance Pla within this year at the latest for disclosure.” The launch of the Biohealth Innovation Committee which will be directly controlled by the Prime Minister, is also being delayed.

 

The committee was being prepared as a government control tower to foster Korea’s pharmaceutical bio industry.

 

The establishment of the Biohealth Innovation Committee, a domestic pharmaceutical and bioindustry development organization that was set to be directly operated by the Prime Minister, is expected to be announced and operated through a presidential order.

 

The MOHW is preparing to issue a notice on the order and appoint members to the Innovation Committee, and plans to launch the committee as soon as possible.

 

According to the proposed regulations, the Biohealth Innovation Committee will consist of less than 30 members.

 

The government plans to appoint the Prime Minister as the chair and 30 members including 12 ministers from each ministry and 17 civilian members.

 

The 12 ministerial members will include Ministers of the Ministry of Health and Welfare, Ministry of Strategy and Finance, Ministry of Education, Ministry of Science and ICT, Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and Ministry of SMEs and Startups, as well as the minister for the Office for Government Policy Coordination, the Chairperson of the Personal Information Protection Committee Commission, the Minister of Food and Drug Safety, Commissioner of the Korea Intellectual Property Office, and the Commissioner of the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency.

 

The committee secretariat is scheduled to be established as a department called the ‘'Biohealth Innovation Promotion Team' under MOHW’s Bureau of Health Industry Division of Health Industry Policy.

 

The MOHW’s Health Industry Policy Director will concurrently serve as the head of the Biohealth Innovation Promotion Team.

 

The Biohealth Innovation Committee will seek to efficiently deliberate and adjust policies and tasks to comprehensively and systematically support the development of Korea’s health industry, including products and services related to pharmaceuticals, medical devices, and health technology, and their convergence and integration with cutting-edge technologies.

 

The committee is also expected to be launched after the National Assembly audit.