The National Health Fund (NHF) in fulfilment of its mandate to reduce the financial burden of healthcare on the public, in Jamaica has doubled the subsidy on pharmaceuticals, respiratory devices and diabetic supplies for Children 0-18 years effective September 1, 2016.
How many children will benefit?
Approximately 11,000 children are currently enrolled on the NHF Card Programme
The majority of the children (almost 9,000 or 76%) enrolled on the NHF Card programme, are enrolled for asthma and will benefit significantly with this increase.
Other common illnesses for which children are enrolled include
- Epilepsy (1,018)
- Diabetes (317)
- Sickle Cell (280)
- Arthritis
- Psychosis
- Rheumatic Fever
- Glaucoma
Subsidies for devices
New NHF Subsidy for Masks for children with Asthma – $742.56
New NHF Subsidy for Spacers for children with Asthma – $1,209.32
New NHF Subsidy for Spacer & Mask combined for children with Asthma – $1,951.88
Maximum NHF Payment
Where the NHF subsidy is more than the submitted cost from the NHF participating pharmacy, the NHF’s payment is 95% or the retail price and the beneficiary makes a co-payment of 5%.
Will Children need a new card?
No your child will not need a new card. Present the child’s prescription along with the NHF Card as usual and the amount of the subsidy will be applied when the pharmacist swipes the NHF card.
How much will this increase cost the NHF?
The subsidy rate for pharmaceutical drugs accessed by this age group is currently averaging 40% and costs the NHF approximately $26 million. NHF is expected to spend $70 million annually to increase the average subsidy to 80% of the cost of drugs for 0-18 year olds.
