In chile's presidential runoff, candidates like Jeannette Jara have revived ideas to eliminate vat on drugs and end oncology waiting lists. These proposals aim to ease the high cost of medications, which accounts for 60% of out-of-pocket health spending. Experts see a chance for agreements that go beyond the election.
The high cost of medications remains a serious issue for low- and middle-income households in Chile, accounting for about 60% of out-of-pocket health spending, one of the highest rates in the OECD. Héctor Sánchez, executive director of the UNAB Public Health Institute, notes that "the high cost of medications continues to be one of the most burdensome problems for low- and middle-income households: it explains nearly 60% of out-of-pocket health spending. The second round offers an opportunity to advance agreements that transcend the electoral contingency".
In the runoff, Jeannette Jara has adopted Franco Parisi's proposal to eliminate VAT on drugs and supplies for the elderly, aiming to reduce out-of-pocket expenses. A review of the programs from the top five candidates, representing 97% of votes, shows broad consensus on improving medication coverage. Approaches include Parisi's VAT reduction, Evelyn Matthei's inclusion of ambulatory drugs as a GES benefit, and enhanced regulatory and purchasing capacities to lower prices, featured in Jara's and José Antonio Kast's programs.
Sánchez proposes a concrete commitment: enact a law for a universal medication insurance with initial 20% coverage, gradually increasing with funding, price negotiations, and distribution in urban and rural areas, integrating with Fonasa, Isapres, private insurance, and GES.
Another cross-cutting issue is ending oncology waiting lists. Matthei pledges to resolve them in 100 days, an idea taken up by Jara. Delayed diagnosis harms quality of life, requiring political will to combine public and private resources. Experience shows public-private collaboration speeds progress, particularly with lists built up since the pandemic. Meeting the 100-day goal demands a dual strategy: bolstering the public sector and procuring private services through the National Health Fund, avoiding exclusive approaches that fail to address the urgency for thousands of patients.