The government is preparing to revamp its healthcare funding systems, Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Pichai Chunhavajira said yesterday.
He said the government is aiming to enhance efficiency and address inequalities across the four existing healthcare service models: the universal healthcare scheme (gold card), the Social Security Fund (SSF), medical benefits for civil servants and the Department of Local Administration's (DLA) health services.
Mr Pichai disclosed the outcomes of yesterday's first committee meeting on the country's healthcare welfare system.
Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra appointed the committee on Jan 27. Mr Pichai chairs it.
The committee, comprising 22 members, convened for more than two hours to discuss the state of the country's healthcare system, particularly in light of rising medical costs, which have been increasing at a rate surpassing that of the country's GDP.
The discussion focused on reviewing healthcare quality, addressing disparities in medical treatment and evaluating pharmaceutical imports.
Mr Pichai emphasised that healthcare benefits would not be reduced. Instead, the government aims to optimise budget efficiency and reduce inequalities in medical services.
Dr Jadej Thammatacharee, National Health Security Office (NHSO) secretary-general and committee member, said Thailand annually allocates 360 billion baht to provide healthcare to 64 million citizens.
He said per capita expenditures vary for each service model: 3,800 baht for the gold card scheme, 18,000 baht for civil servants, 4,900 baht for SSF members and 12,000 baht for DLA beneficiaries.
With Thailand's ageing population and increasing healthcare needs, annual medical expenses are rising by 11%, outpacing the country's GDP growth rate, which averages 3%, Dr Jadej said.
Another critical issue is pharmaceutical imports, which total 200 billion baht annually. Over 50% of these imports are branded medications despite the availability of equivalent generic drugs.
The committee proposed collective negotiations to reduce costs while ensuring equitable and high-quality healthcare access.
Additionally, the committee introduced eight key measures to guide its work, supported by two subcommittees: an academic subcommittee and an implementation subcommittee.
Dr Jadej said the government spent 340 billion baht last year to provide healthcare to citizens across the four service models, accounting for 10% of the total national budget.
He further revealed that plans to standardise benefits across all healthcare systems have been discussed, adding that current benefits will remain the same.