Overview
- Officials presented the plan to the Social Security Council’s medical insurance subcommittee on Dec. 25 with a proposed start in March 2027, moving next to refine the list and draft legislation for the next Diet session.
- Patients would pay a special fee equal to 25% of the drug price, while the remaining 75% stays covered by public insurance and is still subject to the usual 10–30% copay.
- The initial scope spans 77 active ingredients across roughly 1,100 prescription items, including Loxonin, Allegra and Hirdouid gel.
- Children, cancer patients and people with designated rare diseases or certain chronic conditions would be exempt from the added charge.
- Projected savings remain unsettled, with reported estimates ranging from about ¥90 billion to ¥188 billion per year.