Regarding the drug price set by the government, the government and the ruling party will reduce the target of drug items to about 70% of the total by the revision next year, while considering the impact of the spread of the new coronavirus infection, the reduction range Would like to solidify the policy of easing to some extent and formally decide at the ministerial negotiations to be held on the 17th.
The price of medicines set by the government has been revised once every two years, but the government will do it every year from next year in order to appropriately reflect the market price and reduce medical expenses.
Under these circumstances, in a September survey, the market price of drugs fell by an average of 8% below the price set by the government, so the government and the ruling party have been considering the target of drug items that will reduce the price. I did.
As a result, out of the total of about 18,000 drug items, about 70% of the items with a difference of 5% or more from the market price will be targeted for reduction, while considering the impact of the spread of the new coronavirus infection. As a result, we have decided to ease the reduction by 0.8%.
In this case, the effect of curbing medical expenses is expected to be more than 430 billion annually.
The government and the ruling party would like to formally decide on the price policy of these drugs at a ministerial negotiation between Minister of Health, Labor and Welfare Tamura and Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Aso on the 17th.