The impact of increasing user charges for diabetes medicines: lessons from Finland

Abstract

<p>Diabetes is a common chronic condition that affects around 7% of adults in<br>Europe. Many people with diabetes need medicines to control symptoms<br>and prevent complications. In 2017, against a backdrop of rising diabetes<br>care costs and budgetary pressure, the Finnish health system increased user<br>charges (co-payments) for all diabetes medicines except insulin, changing<br>them from a fixed co-payment of €4.50 per item to a percentage co-payment<br>of 35% of the retail price. What at first glance may seem like a relatively<br>modest change in co-payment design led to a substantial increase in outof-<br>pocket payments for diabetes medicines. This brief summarizes the<br>policy change and its impact and identifies lessons for Finland and for other<br>countries that are concerned about the negative effects of user charges on<br>access to health care.<br></p>