The Ministry of Health allocated almost 5 billion rubles for outpatient treatment of hepatitis C. in year
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In 2024–2025, the regions of the Russian Federation will receive 14.5 billion rubles. from the federal budget as part of the program for co-financing the treatment of patients with hepatitis C in the outpatient segment. The size of the subsidy for each specific region will be determined by a formula that takes into account the total amount of allocated federal budget funds, the number of patients, as well as the maximum level of co-financing of expenses by the region. According to patient organizations, additional funds will increase treatment coverage, but how many new patients will be able to benefit from the new treatment format is still unclear.
The government has supplemented the state program “Health Development” with rules for the distribution of subsidies to regions for the treatment of patients with hepatitis C in the outpatient segment – Resolution No. 407 of April 1, 2024 was published on the portal pravo.gov.ru. In Russia there are about 700 thousand people with this diagnosis. Some patients receive treatment at the expense of federal funds, regional programs and funds from the compulsory health insurance fund, children – at the expense of the Circle of Good Foundation. Financial support for the expenses of the constituent entities of the Russian Federation for the treatment of patients with hepatitis C comes from several sources – for example, drugs for patients infected with both hepatitis C and HIV are purchased centrally from the federal budget. Patients with a certain stage of disease development can receive assistance under compulsory medical insurance within the hospital. In the outpatient segment, treatment of patients should be provided by the regions, which, however, was only possible if they had their own funds for this, and specialized patient communities regularly complained about their lack (see “Kommersant” dated November 16, 2023).
Previously, government decree No. 615-r dated March 15, 2024 set a target for the federal budget for co-financing by regions of treatment of patients in the outpatient segment – according to it, in 2024, 2025 and 2026, 88 constituent entities of the Russian Federation will receive a total of 4.5 billion rubles Resolution No. 407 clarifies the rules for their distribution – in particular, it proposes a special formula for this. It will take into account the total amount of allocated federal budget funds, the number of patients with hepatitis C in a particular region, as well as the maximum level of co-financing by the region of the expenditure obligation. From the document, in particular, it follows that regions may refuse the subsidy or not receive it if they do not fulfill the requirement for co-financing.
As Yury Zhulev, co-chairman of the All-Russian Patients’ Union, notes, co-financing the treatment of patients with hepatitis C in the outpatient segment is important for two reasons. “Firstly, this will allow us to begin to provide assistance to people in the early stages of the disease. Secondly, previously, in order to receive therapy, even in the form of tablets, patients had to go to the hospital every day during the entire course, but now they will be able to receive the necessary drugs according to prescriptions in pharmacies,” he noted. Chairman of the Board of the interregional organization “Together against Hepatitis” Nikita Kovalenko, however, notes that so far the criteria that patients who will be treated with the help of the new co-financing program must meet are not clearly defined. “If we follow the logic of the Ministry of Health, these should be patients without concomitant diseases, advanced fibrosis and cirrhosis – although regional interpretations may vary. In addition, the lack of targets for the number of people treated raises concerns – perhaps they will be set for next year, as happened with treatment under the basic state guarantee program,” he notes. But, according to him, the coverage of therapy is expanding and “there is more clarity with the organization of medical care.”
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