11-10-2022

Good news: facilitated prescription procedures for infusion pumps

From now on, patients in pain due to oncological diseases can rent and use an infusion pump, covered by the Compulsory Health Insurance Fund, much easier. The new infusion pump prescription procedure is already in force, says the National Health Insurance Fund under the Ministry of Health (NHIF).

According to previous procedure, infusion (or, the so-called ‘pain’) pumps for patients with oncological diseases at home could be prescribed only by a council of doctors of a healthcare institution. This was the only way to cover the rent of these medical devices that aid patients under unbearable pain every day from the CHIF funds.

However, the patients that need infusion pumps used to find it hard to get to healthcare institutions that provide third-level services and thus access to the rent of the pain pumps was difficult too.

According to the new procedure, outpatient treatment using an infusion pump may be prescribed for oncological patients by a council of doctors of healthcare institutions, offering specialized pain diagnosis and treatment services, or institutions, offering inpatient and outpatient palliative care services. The council must include at least one of the following types of experts: an oncologist, a paediatric oncologist, an anaesthesiologist-reanimatologist, oncologist-radiotherapist, paediatric oncohematologist, oncologist-chemotherapist and a palliative care physician.

Treatment at home with an infusion pump for long-term infusion of opioid analgesics is prescribed for patients diagnosed with tumours to ensure continuous control of severe or unbearable chronic pain when injectable or other strong opioid analgesics fail to relieve it.

The rental costs for these devices will be covered by NHIF 100 per cent.

According to preliminary calculations, NHIF could reimburse infusion pump rental costs for approximately 140 patients every year. It is estimated, that the CHIF costs for the rent of infusion pumps should constitute approximately 200 thousand Euro every year.

Patients wanting to rent an infusion pump, should apply to companies that have an agreement with the NHIF regarding the reimbursement of the rental costs of medical devices, needed for healthcare at home, and bring the statement of a council of doctors. The company selected and the patient will sign an agreement regarding the issue of device, its warranty service, maintenance and supply of replacement parts.

(Piktochart photo)

The NHIF invites you:

Your questions are welcome by email[email protected]or phone: local (8 5) 232 2222, international +370 5 232 2222