Taiwan Revolutionizes Cancer Care: Expanding NHI to Cover Immunotherapies

Boosting Access to Life-Saving Treatments for Thousands

Taipei, April 24 – Taiwan is poised to significantly enhance its National Health Insurance (NHI) program, with plans to incorporate three crucial cancer immunotherapies, potentially taking effect as early as June.

The NHI expansion will encompass first-line treatments for non-squamous non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), metastatic colorectal cancer, and early-stage triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC), according to the National Health Insurance Administration (NHIA).

This initiative is projected to benefit approximately 2,700 to 3,400 patients immediately. The NHIA will allocate roughly NT$3.295 billion (US$101.28 million) annually from a dedicated cancer fund to subsidize these vital cancer immunotherapies.

Huang Yu-wen (黃育文), director of the administration's Medical Review and Pharmaceutical Benefits Division, highlighted that cancer patients could potentially save between NT$1.71 million (US$52,564) and NT$2.47 million in medical expenses each year.

The largest beneficiary group is expected to be NSCLC patients, numbering between 1,581 and 1,930 in Taiwan, followed by those with TNBC and metastatic colorectal cancer, with estimated patient counts of 826-897 and 265-587, respectively, according to Huang.

The NHIA aims to implement this expanded coverage in June.

The decision to broaden the NHI's scope aligns with international treatment guidelines, using the United States' National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN) as a benchmark.

The NCCN identifies pembrolizumab and atezolizumab as effective treatments for NSCLC.

The NHIA emphasized that the decision to include these cancer immunotherapies, specifically covering pembrolizumab and atezolizumab, followed extensive consultations with local medical professionals and patient advocacy groups.