The average price was reduced by 55%, and nearly 18,000 medical institutions across the country participated in the centralized procurement...Recently, the centralized procurement of oral implant systems, known as "the most difficult centralized procurement in history", opened bids in Chengdu, Sichuan.
Reporters from Banyuetan have learned from many sources that the price reduction in centralized procurement has exceeded expectations, and will explore effective paths for expanding the scope of procurement of medical device varieties in the future.
The average price cut was 55%, and the effect of centralized procurement exceeded expectations
Before the centralized collection, it costs about 10,000 to 30,000 yuan to plant a tooth; after the centralized collection, it generally drops to less than 10,000 yuan.
The reporter from Banyuetan learned that under the guidance and coordination of the National Medical Insurance Bureau, the Sichuan Provincial Medical Insurance Bureau took the lead in forming an inter-provincial procurement alliance for oral implant systems.
Nearly 18,000 medical institutions across the country participated in the centralized procurement, with a total procurement demand of 2.87 million sets.
On the morning of January 11, 2023, a bid opening room of the Sichuan Provincial Government's Government Services and Public Resources Trading Service Center was full. Representatives of companies participating in the bidding, relevant experts, and representatives of medical insurance departments in many provinces were all looking forward to the important time of bid opening.
At 10 o'clock in the morning, the on-site bid opening work officially started.
The staff opened the document bag on the spot, sang and read the bidding letter aloud, and displayed the bidding situation.
Listening to the quotations in each bid, Man Yi, director of the Oral Implantology Department of West China Stomatological Hospital of Sichuan University, gradually relaxed his frown: "Better than expected."
According to Man Yi, dental implants have long been recognized by the stomatology community as the best way to restore missing teeth, and the needs of patients are also relatively large. The number of implants in the Department of Dental Implantology of West China Stomatological Hospital of Sichuan University alone exceeds 6,000 teeth a year.
However, in the face of high prices, ordinary patients cannot afford it.
"Now, the average price has been reduced by more than half, and the burden on patients is much smaller." Man Yi said.
This centralized procurement is expected to save about 4 billion yuan in patient costs per year. A total of 55 companies participated, of which 39 companies were to be selected, with a selection rate of 71%.
The reporter from Banyuetan sorted out and found that at the bid opening site, many products "stepped on the line" or were close to "stepping on the line" quotations, and the participation of enterprises was relatively high.
"Although the price of centralized procurement has dropped, the volume is large. In the past, local companies like us in Sichuan had difficulty competing with imported products due to their low market popularity. Now that we join the centralized procurement, we have the opportunity to expand our market share." Sichuan Hongzhengbo Shi Yacheng, chairman of En Dental Technology Co., Ltd., said.
"In the past, the price of dental implants was not standardized, and there was often a case where one tooth was charged as a package, but patients did not know how much each part was charged. Now, the price is more open and transparent." Capital Medical University National Medical Jiang Changsong, assistant to the president of the Security Research Institute, said.
Through the coordinated efforts of a number of measures, it is expected that from late March to mid-April 2023, the results of comprehensive management of dental implant costs will be implemented, and patients will fully enjoy the reduced price of dental implant services.
"The most difficult centralized procurement in history" to overcome three challenges
The reporter from Banyuetan learned that, unlike the previous centralized procurement of consumables, this centralized procurement took nearly a year and overcame three difficulties.
First, the proportion of private medical institutions is large, and coordination is difficult.
The degree of marketization of dental implants is very high, and private medical institutions account for about 80% of the market share.
Different from the previous centralized procurement, this centralized procurement has devoted a lot of energy to mobilizing private medical institutions to participate in the centralized procurement.
After hard work, about 14,000 private medical institutions participated in the centralized procurement report, accounting for 80% of the total number of medical institutions in this centralized procurement.
"It can be said to be the most difficult centralized procurement." Zhao Yingcheng, director of the Sichuan Pharmaceutical Equipment Bidding and Purchasing Service Center, said that because dental implants are not included in the medical insurance catalogue, hospitals can set their own prices according to specific operating costs, and ordinary people need to pay out of pocket.
All along, the price is not the norm.
At the same time, a large number of private medical institutions are involved. In many cases, it is very difficult to coordinate with each family.
Second, implant brands have a high degree of concentration, including multiple components, and it is difficult to design centralized procurement rules and procedures.
Zhao Yingcheng introduced that this centralized procurement should not only squeeze out price moisture, but also allow more leading brands to be selected, so as to better ensure the stability and continuity of clinical use.
In the end, the design rules for centralized procurement in the engineering field were introduced. At the same time, group competitions were appropriately carried out according to the procurement needs of medical institutions, the supply capabilities and willingness of enterprises, and the enterprises with large demand for medical institutions and capable of national supply were divided into Group A. Others Enterprises are classified in Group B.
"The implant system consists of multiple components, including implants, prosthetic abutments, and accessory kits. Clinically, the products of the same company are generally used in a complete set. In order to prevent the shortage of some components due to the failure to win the bid or the price increase due to not being included in the centralized procurement We have carried out multiple investigations and implemented a complete set of procurement of multiple components.” Zhao Yingcheng said.
The third is that the cost of dental implants is complex. In addition to consumables such as implants and crowns, medical service costs account for a relatively high proportion.
According to many industry insiders, in the cost of conventional implantation of a single tooth, the cost of implant consumables accounts for about 1/3, medical expenses account for more than 40%, and the cost of dental crowns.
Therefore, it is difficult for the masses to feel the obvious effect of reducing the burden only by centralized procurement of dental implants, and comprehensive management is required.
Society reflects "three major concerns"
Relevant persons reported that although the effect of the centralized procurement exceeded expectations, everyone also had certain concerns and hoped that supervision and implementation could be strengthened so that the centralized procurement effect would not be compromised.
——Worried about the "disguised price increase" of private medical institutions, calling for strengthened supervision and daily price warnings.
The reporter from Banyuetan learned that after the centralized procurement, public hospitals will implement "zero markup", but the price of oral implants in private medical institutions will be adjusted by the market, and some people are worried that private medical institutions will "increase prices in disguise".
"Last year, I spent more than 20,000 yuan to plant a tooth in a private hospital. I wanted to plant another tooth after the collection was completed, but I was afraid that the private hospital would secretly increase the price, such as increasing service fees, follow-up rehabilitation treatment fees, etc. .” said Mr. Li, a citizen of Chengdu.
——Worrying that "no one cares about" domestic dental implants, calling for stronger guidance.
Most implant practitioners said that patients are more willing to choose imported implants, thinking that imported implants are better than domestic ones, and such consumption concepts are difficult to change in the short term.
"The centralized procurement of dental implants does not include quantity, which means that each selected product needs to develop its own channels such as hospitals. This is a big challenge for domestic manufacturers. Imported brands have been deeply involved in the market for many years. If domestic products really want to enter some Hospitals are full of difficulties." An industry insider said frankly.
——Worried about the "random tooth implantation" of the masses, and called for strengthening the concept of oral health.
"Dental implants are the last step in the treatment of missing teeth. Instead of missing teeth, you immediately want to implant teeth. We hope that patients can fill their teeth in time. Because even the most advanced dental implant surgery cannot guarantee 100% success." Full Yi said that there is still a need to increase the oral health knowledge of the masses, especially the awareness of regular dental checkups.
Banyuetan.com Banyuetan Reporter: Dong Xiaohong
Original title: "The price of dental implants has come down"