The GVS consists of clusters of medicines for ailments, of which at least one medicine is fully reimbursed. If people nevertheless use other means, because they are more effective for them, for example, they often already have to pay a contribution. Kuipers wants the clusters to be recalculated and hopes that the manufacturers will lower their prices to prevent many patients from having to pay more for their pills.
Kuipers’ predecessor had already calculated that in the worst case scenario – if no manufacturer moderates prices and no one switches to a well-paid medicine – 6 million people would have to pay extra. Half of them use a chronic drug. The vast majority of drug users will have to pay between 5 and 50 euros per year. In 2021 2.4 million people paid extra for their medicine.
About 150,000 people will probably have to pay more than 250 euros per year after the revision. To protect patients against excessive healthcare costs, Kuipers wants to maximize the personal contribution to medicines. Since 2019, that is 250 euros per patient per year. The minister will let you know how high the maximum will be.
Incidentally, after the recalculation of the cluster medicines, the personal contribution for approximately 350,000 people will lapse.