Beijing Inclusive Health Insurance Expands Access to 100 Domestic and Overseas Specialty Drugs Through Boao Lecheng Partnership

On September 26, the Boao Lecheng Symposium on Global Innovative Drugs officially opened.

This seminar is jointly hosted by the Beijing Medical Insurance Association, the Hainan Provincial Healthcare Security Research Society, the Administration Bureau of Hainan Boao Lecheng International Medical Tourism Pilot Zone, and China Life Reinsurance Company Limited.

This conference is the first large-scale seminar organized following the signing of the global innovative drug cooperation agreement for Beijing Puhui Health Insurance.A total of over 220 academician physicians and experts were invited from 24 public hospitals in Beijing, including the Cancer Hospital of the Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Tsinghua Changgung Hospital, and Tiantan Hospital.. Experts have jointly researched and implemented 100 types of domestic and international specialty drugs in Boao Lecheng, aiming to enhance awareness of these specialty drugs and improve medication services for patients.

It is reported that the conference, spanning six days from September 26 to September 30, features multiple specialized forums covering lung cancer, hematology, urology, gastroenterology, breast and thyroid diseases, as well as other specialties (including head and neck, dermatology, and reproductive neurology). The event provides specialized lectures and training for physicians responsible for specialty drug management both domestically and internationally, comprehensively showcases global research achievements and treatment regimens across various fields of innovative specialty drugs, delves into the future vision of healthcare, and extensively promotes in-depth collaboration between medical institutions in Beijing and Hainan.

This symposium will accelerate the promotion of new policies in Boao Lecheng and the implementation and use of licensed drugs and medical devices, while expediting the establishment of a cooperative mechanism between medical institutions in Beijing and Hainan to achieve “information sharing, mutual recognition of medical insurance, and joint development of models.”

The difficulties and high costs of medication for cancer patients have become a focal point of public concern.

National health insurance covers a large population. According to the "Sixth National Health Services Statistical Survey Report" released by the National Health Commission, China's basic medical coverage rate has reached 96.8%. However, national health insurance is designed to meet people's basic medical needs and cannot satisfy the higher-level medication needs of cancer patients.

In commercial insurance, different types of policies cover varying scopes of protection, thereby meeting patients’ multi-layered needs. However, to control claims risk, insurers generally impose certain restrictions on the health status of applicants.

Commercial health insurance can serve as an important supplement to the national medical insurance.

In recent years, China’s commercial health insurance sector has experienced rapid growth. Previously, the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China and the State Council issued the “Opinions on Deepening the Reform of the Medical Security System,” calling for accelerated development of commercial health insurance and diversification of health insurance product offerings.

On July 26, 2021, the Beijing Healthcare Security Administration launched the Beijing Puhui Health Insurance, which imposes no restrictions on applicants’ age, occupation, household registration (hukou), or health status.This is a commercial health insurance product tailored specifically for individuals enrolled in the Beijing Medical Insurance scheme, designed to seamlessly complement the basic medical insurance.

To meet patients' higher-level needs for specialized drug coverage,Beijing Puhui Health Insurance covers 25 domestically produced special drugs outside the national medical insurance catalog and 75 overseas special drugs, encompassing high-incidence conditions such as liver cancer, lung cancer, breast cancer, colorectal cancer, and gastric cancer. The overseas special drugs must be used at designated medical institutions in the Boao Lecheng International Medical Tourism Pilot Zone.

Seventy-five overseas specialty drugs from Boao Lecheng have been included in the Beijing Puhui Health Insurance, enabling patients covered by Beijing’s medical insurance to access specialty medications not yet approved in China. This initiative bridges Beijing’s advanced medical resources with Boao Lecheng’s open drug access environment.

As the only medical special zone in China, Boao Lecheng Pilot Zone enjoys inherent policy advantages, including four special permissions for healthcare, research, business operations, and international medical exchanges, enabling it to pioneer the use of innovative drugs and medical devices.

Within the Lecheng Pilot Zone, internationally advanced new drugs and medical devices that have not yet been marketed in China can be used, with accelerated processes for importation, registration, and approval. Previously, leveraging its “pilot and trial” policy, Lecheng introduced artificial corneas and MED-EL’s AI-powered cochlear implants from Austria.

In the realm of innovative drugs, the Boao Lecheng International Medical Tourism Pilot Zone has been accelerating its efforts, with its drug portfolio covering patients with high-incidence cancers and rare diseases. Previously, it introduced innovative therapies for male androgenetic alopecia and acne.

Leveraging an open policy environment, Boao Lecheng launched the Lecheng Special Drug Insurance, which covers 100 special drugs from both domestic and international sources. This insurance product has been incorporated into Beijing Puhui Health Insurance. This marks the first time that 75 overseas special drugs from the Boao Lecheng Pilot Zone have expanded beyond Lecheng, with Beijing—boasting robust medical resources—selected as their initial market entry point.

Ma Jiye, Party Secretary and Director of the Beijing Municipal Healthcare Security Administration, stated, “Beijing and Hainan have a solid foundation for exchange and cooperation, with significant potential for future collaboration. Moving forward, both sides should further leverage their respective strengths, enhance communication, and promote the clinical adoption of 100 specialized drugs. The Beijing Municipal Healthcare Security Administration will strengthen exchanges and cooperation with Hainan to integrate Beijing’s abundant medical resources with the policy advantages of the Boao Lecheng International Medical Tourism Pilot Zone in the Hainan Free Trade Port.”

Since its launch on July 26, the number of enrollees in Beijing Puhui Health Insurance has exceeded 3 million.Coverage mechanisms for 100 specialized domestic and imported drugs have gained recognition from frontline clinical experts.

Academician He Jie, Director of the National Cancer Center of China and President of the Cancer Hospital of the Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, stated that “Beijing Puhui Health Insurance has leveraged the Boao Lecheng International Medical Tourism Pilot Zone to pilot the use of new drugs already approved abroad, establishing a collaborative platform for information sharing, mutual recognition of medical insurance, and joint model development between designated medical institutions in Beijing and Hainan Province, thereby significantly improving the accessibility of global innovative medicines.”

The Boao Lecheng International Medical Tourism Pilot Zone has opened a channel to “invite” innovative drugs into China and include them in commercial health insurance.

From a clinical perspective, the introduction of innovative drugs and advanced foreign technologies helps safeguard the health of more patients. From the perspective of medical insurance payment, the inclusion of innovative drugs in health insurance achieves broader medical coverage while controlling costs, ensuring that specialty drugs are used appropriately—maximizing their use where indicated without misuse.This symposium has invited 220 academician physicians and experts from Beijing, with the aim of helping them gain a better understanding of the use of innovative drugs.

Cai Jianqiang, Deputy Director of the National Cancer Center of China and Vice President of the Cancer Hospital of the Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, stated, “Multi-tiered medical insurance covers every patient, and the synergy between inclusive health insurance and innovative drugs enables patients to access innovative therapies.”

In the fertile ground of innovation that is the Boao Lecheng International Medical Tourism Pilot Zone, healthcare services, pharmaceuticals, and health insurance have achieved tripartite synergy as Lecheng builds a medical industry ecosystem.

Currently,There are 15 medical institutions in operation and 16 under construction within the pilot zone.. The hospital adopts a “1+X” shared model, namely the Boao Super Hospital model comprising one shared hospital (platform) plus several specialized clinical medical centers. Local infrastructure in Lecheng is fully equipped, allowing external medical teams to move in and commence operations immediately.

Moreover, according to Liu Zhefeng, Deputy Director of the Boao Lecheng International Medical Tourism Pilot Zone Administration, in addition to its initiatives in the medical field, Lecheng will roll out supporting commercial measures, such as building shopping malls and developing business districts. In the future, the Lecheng Administration will leverage its collaborative experience in introducing Lecheng’s special drugs to Beijing for the first time, and accelerate the nationwide promotion of innovative special drugs from both domestic and international markets. The future of Lecheng lies across China.

Gu Gang, Secretary of the Party Committee and Director of the Boao Lecheng International Medical Tourism Pilot Zone Administration, stated, “The Lecheng Administration will leverage the Hainan Free Trade Port’s talent policies, including flexible talent recruitment measures, to continuously foster a favorable business environment and provide high-quality services to physicians from Beijing. Furthermore, the Lecheng Administration will further explore collaborations with more provinces and municipalities, enabling the Lecheng Special Drug Insurance—a benefit derived from the construction of the Hainan Free Trade Port—to be gradually introduced to other provinces, municipalities, and regions across China.”

Academician of the Chinese Academy of Engineering and President of Beijing Tsinghua Changgung Hospital, Dong Jiahong, also stated, “Driven by the policies in the Boao Lecheng International Medical Tourism Pilot Zone, new global technologies, concepts, pharmaceuticals, and medical devices will reach every corner of China through Hainan, this frontier and fertile ground for reform, benefiting countless patients with complex and refractory conditions.”