The National Health Fund (NHF) has increased subsidies on 18 cardiovascular drug items, with increases ranging from $40 to more than $200 per tablet/capsule.

These adjustments provide immediate financial relief for patients prescribed critical cholesterol-lowering and lipid-regulating medications, as well as treatments for ischaemic heart disease and hypertension, the NHF said in a press release.

According to the NHF, since the beginning of the year, the Fund has also added 11 new drug labels and increased subsidies for 207 hypertension drug items by an average of 10 per cent to 20 per cent. These strategic increases were implemented to ensure that average hypertension subsidies now cover roughly 50 per cent of the total cost of these medications, directly softening the impact of rising prices for beneficiaries, the NHF said, adding that this targeted support is vital, as hypertension remains the most prevalent chronic condition on the NHFCard programme and a primary driver of cardiovascular disease.