Ministry of Health Clarifies That Medical Expenses for Hand, Foot and Mouth Disease Can Be Reimbursed by the New Rural Cooperative Medical Scheme

The Ministry of Health recently issued a notice requiring all localities to do a good job in supporting the prevention and treatment of hand, foot and mouth disease through the new rural cooperative medical scheme.

The Ministry of Health requires that the management and operating agencies of the new rural cooperative medical scheme in all localities, in accordance with the local reimbursement drug list and diagnostic and treatment item list of the new rural cooperative medical scheme, promptly reimburse drugs and diagnostic and treatment items that conform to the Guidelines for the Diagnosis and Treatment of Hand, Foot and Mouth Disease (2010 Edition). All localities should focus on strengthening support for the treatment of severe cases. During concentrated outbreaks of hand, foot and mouth disease, as a temporary emergency measure, drugs such as intravenous human immunoglobulin required for the treatment of severe cases at designated medical institutions of the new rural cooperative medical scheme may be included in the reimbursement scope of the new rural cooperative medical scheme, so as to ensure that severe patients receive timely treatment. To ensure treatment effectiveness, medical institutions at all levels are recommended to use intravenous human immunoglobulin with an EV71 antibody titer greater than 1 to 256 for treatment.