“15th Five-Year Plan”: How will medical insurance support pharmaceutical innovation? The National Healthcare Security Administration has identified key areas of focus.
On September 4, 2026, the State Council Information Office held a press conference where Li Tao and Shi Zihai, deputy directors of the National Medical Insurance Administration, introduced measures to support medical innovation during the “15th Five-Year Plan” period. The medical insurance department will improve the dynamic adjustment mechanism for the drug list, focusing on including innovative drugs in cancer and rare disease areas into the reimbursement scope, and optimizing the commercial health insurance list. At the same time, a self-evaluation system for companies offering newly launched drugs will be implemented, and centralized procurement will be promoted regularly, expanding the coverage to varieties with high clinical usage and inflated prices. By optimizing rules, rational competition will be encouraged, and quality and stable supply will be ensured. In addition, the medical insurance department will pilot a pre-approval system for medical service price items, unify the national reimbursement list for medical services and consumables, and implement special case negotiation mechanisms for medical institutions to facilitate the rapid integration of innovative achievements into clinical practice.
During the “15th Five-Year Plan” period, the National Healthcare Security Administration will increase support for innovative drugs, medical devices, and innovative services, promoting the inclusion of more new drugs in healthcare insurance and their early application in clinical practice. On September 4, the State Council Information Office held a press conference where Li Tao and Shi Zihai, deputy directors of the National Healthcare Security Administration, introduced relevant measures. The healthcare insurance department will improve the dynamic adjustment mechanism for the drug list, focusing on including innovative drugs for cancer and rare diseases in the reimbursement scope, optimizing the commercial health insurance list, and implementing a self-evaluation system for companies selling newly launched drugs at initial prices. At the same time, regular procurement activities will be carried out to expand coverage to varieties with high clinical usage and inflated prices, optimizing rules to guide rational competition and ensuring quality and stable supply. In addition, the healthcare insurance department will trial a pre-approval system for medical service price items, unify the national reimbursement list for medical services and consumables, implement special case negotiation mechanisms for medical institutions, and facilitate the rapid integration of innovative achievements into clinical practice.