コロナ公費負担全廃へ　治療薬や入院費補助など―４月から通常診療と同じに

　新型コロナウイルス感染症の４月以降の診療体制について、政府が公費負担を全廃し、通常の診療と同様に患者の所得などに応じた自己負担とする方針を固めたことが２０日、政府関係者への取材で分かった。治療薬や入院費の補助などは３月で打ち切り、患者の保険料負担に応じて１～３割の支払いを求める。
　厚生労働省は近く、全国の自治体に方針を通知する。
　新型コロナに対する公費支援は、２０２１年から治療薬の全額公費負担が始まった。昨年１０月に規模が縮小し、年齢や収入に応じて３０００～９０００円の自己負担となった。
　４月以降はこうした支援がなくなり、重症化予防の経口治療薬「モルヌピラビル」を使う場合には、１処方当たり９万円超となり、３割負担であれば２万８０００円程度を支払うことになる。（2024/02/20-19:55）

The Japanese government plans to end its subsidies for COVID-19 drugs and hospitalizations next month, leaving patients paying for treatment out of pocket at rates based on their incomes, as is the case for ordinary medical services, government officials said Tuesday.
   The government began fully covering expenses for COVID-19 drugs with public funds in 2021. The scheme was scaled down last October, when patients started paying between 3,000 yen and 9,000 yen depending on their age and income.
   After the aid is scrapped at the end of March, molnupiravir, an oral treatment to prevent serious symptoms, is set to cost over 90,000 yen per prescription, or about 28,000 yen for people whose out-of-pocket rate under public insurance is 30 pct.
   Subsidies for hospitalization costs, currently set at 10,000 yen per month, will also end next month.
   The government will also scrap payments to large hospitals that secure beds for COVID-19 patients, which range from 29,000 yen to 174,000 yen depending on the state of infections.