[Problems with countermeasures for health insurance treatment in neurology]

In order to tackle with the high price of new technology and new therapeutic drugs, Central Social Insurance Medical Council in Japan has begun to discuss the possibility to introduce technology assessment in the actual public health insurance system. It is indispensable to minimize the economic burden of patients to deliver technological advances in treatment. It is important for the physician to recognize the economic burden of patients and to reduce this burden as much as possible. Around 69% of the cancer patients had economic worries (n = 2037) in our survey "Economic burden of patient with cancer from the viewpoint of cancer economics". The mean out-of-pocket expense (752,000 yen) of the patients without economic worries was three-fourths that of the patients (987,000 yen) with economic worries. The out-of pocket expenses and the refunds/benefits were 1,217,000 yen and 652,000 yen for molecular targeted treatment (n = 494). The Intractable Diseases Control Act is to be enacted in 2016-17 to promote work on nanbyo control using all the resources of the nation, and this act should surely entail financial support.