Japan Lower House OKs Bills to Raise Costs of OTC-Like Drugs

Tokyo, April 28 (Jiji Press)--Japan's House of Representatives on Tuesday approved health insurance system reform bills featuring the establishment of a mechanism to increase out-of-pocket expenses for patients prescribed drugs with ingredients and effects similar to those of over-the-counter drugs.

The bills were passed by a majority vote at a plenary meeting of the lower chamber of parliament, with support from the ruling pair of the Liberal Democratic Party and the Japan Innovation Party as well as opposition parties including the Centrist Reform Alliance and the Democratic Party for the People.

They will then be discussed by the House of Councillors, the upper chamber, and are likely to be enacted during the current parliamentary session.

Under the new system, designed to reduce the country's medical costs and health insurance premium payments by working generations, 25 pct of the prices of OTC-like drugs will be added to patients' out-of-pocket costs as a special fee from March 2027.

The health ministry will not require patients with cancer and intractable diseases to make the additional payment. Specifics about the exemption will be worked out by a relevant panel of experts after the enactment of the bills.

[Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.]