Insurance for 4 Rheumatism Drugs

Four expensive drugs for rheumatic patients have been brought under full insurance coverage as per a government directive, reducing people’s out-of-pocket payment for the drugs.

“We held meetings with the High Council for Insurance and were able to convince their experts to bring these medicines in the insurance-fold,” said Ahmadreza Jamshidi, head of the Iranian Rheumatology Association, ISNA reported. 

Rituximab, another costly medicine, has 90% insurance coverage. Earlier, only cancer patients could claim insurance for this drug while now it is extended to rheumatic patients.

While the imported Rituximab costs 200 million rials ($5,000), the domestically-made medicine is priced 80 million rials ($2,000). It has to be taken every six months.     

“We had to prescribe high doses of Cortone (steroid) instead, because patients could not afford this medicine,” said Jamshidi.