OCT. 16, 2019

President Piñera highlights decreased medication costs: “People deserve to pay less.”

Accompanied by First Lady Cecilia Morel, the President praised the entry into force of a new Fonasa agreement that includes discounts on nearly 3,000 products in pharmacies and will benefit 14 million users.

President Sebastián Piñera and First Lady Cecilia Morel met with senior citizens on Wednesday to discuss the national policy that will decrease medication prices. They also talked about how to take advantage of the benefits of the initiative. 

“The biggest beneficiaries are those who face health problems, senior citizens, members of the middle class and the most vulnerable sectors of society,” the President said following a meeting with senior citizens from the Estación Central Neighborhood Association, where he was accompanied by the First Lady, Health Minister Jaime Mañalich and Mayor Rodrigo Delgado.

The President noted that the new Fonasa agreement is beginning to operate in the Metropolitan and O’Higgins Regions and offers discounts that average 27% on medication prices. The initiative will be expanded in stages until national coverage is reached.

The plan will significantly decrease the cost of medications for chronic illnesses like diabetes and high cholesterol, psychiatric conditions and others, benefiting over 14 million users with discounts of up to 50% on medications.

“People deserve to pay less,” the President remarked.

Last week, President Piñera unveiled the National Policy on Medications, which is designed to allow people to access quality pharmaceuticals at lower prices more easily, particularly given the aging of the population and rapid increase in chronic illnesses.

The measures include promoting the use of bioequivalent medications, the ability for pharmacies to split packs when dispensing medicines, in-home medication delivery and pharmaceutical storage facilities across the country.

The President also reiterated that the administration will continue its efforts to ensure the availability of bioequivalents and reminded his audience of the recent agreements reached with India and Brazil to allow access to less expensive medications.