Making ¥1.48 Million Treatment Affordable: A Health Insurance Success Story

A story from a General Union member.

I use a medication called DUPIXENT (dupilumab) to treat my severe atopic dermatitis (eczema). My eczema was once so bad that I couldn’t even focus on my studies and couldn’t sleep because my entire body would be so itchy. Taking DUPIXENT has allowed me to control my condition to a point where it no longer affects my life. Nevertheless, the full price of DUPIXENT is ¥123,428 per month, which is ¥1,481,136 on a yearly basis. 

This would amount to ~30% of my annual income which is clearly not affordable. 

Thanks to Japan’s health insurance system, whilst it is still expensive, I spend on average ¥37,028 per month. Because of the way that I’ve structured my prescriptions, where I go to my dermatologist for a three month prescription, I’m able to avail the “multiple use case” (hitting the upper limit 3 times or more in the past 12 months entitles you to a lower out-of-pocket cost for the fourth time and after) which further reduces the amount I have to pay. 

I feel very fortunate that Japanese health insurance allows people to access high-quality medical care at an accessible rate, and I couldn’t imagine what life would be without having access to the same.