The Senate approved today (9) the Provisional Measure (MP) that obliges health plans to cover oral cancer treatment. The MP had already passed the Chamber and would lose its validity tomorrow (10), if it had not been voted on. Now it’s on to the Chamber for a review. This is because the senators altered parts of the text.
MP 1067/2021 incorporates the provision of oral anticancer treatments at home to the mandatory coverage of plans, including drugs to control adverse effects related to the treatment. It was edited by the government in response to a Senate bill with the same theme. The maintenance of the presidential veto to the project yesterday, in the Congress session, he even had as an argument the existence of this MP.
The text of the MP approved by the Senate says that treatment coverage is mandatory if the medications already have approval from the National Health Surveillance Agency (Anvisa). In addition, the National Supplementary Health Agency (ANS) will have 120 days to include it in the List of Health Procedures and Events. It is also possible to extend it for another 60 days. The processes referring to oral cancer treatments should be prioritized by the ANS.
For other treatments, the period is 180 days, extendable for another 90 days. In all cases, if the ANS does not respond within the period, the treatment will be automatically included in the List of Procedures until the final decision.
According to the MP, oral cancer drugs must be provided to the patient or his legal representative within ten days after the medical prescription. The provision may be divided by treatment cycle. It will be mandatory to prove that the patient or his/her legal representative has received the proper guidance on the use, conservation and eventual disposal of the drug.
The Chamber needs to approve the MP by tomorrow (10). If not, it will lose its validity.
*With information from Agência Senado.
