National Health Fund (NHF) cardholders are paying less out of pocket for select medications, due to an increase in subsidies for over 380 pharmaceutical items.

The changes to the NHF card programme took effect yesterday (March 6), and include subsidy increases for eight highly prevalent conditions including hypertension, vascular disease, diabetes, psychosis, and sickle cell disease.

Five of these conditions have accounted for 78 per cent of the total subsidy payout by the Fund in the last five fiscal years.

The increased subsidies will bring the average subsidy rate to 47 per cent.

The projected annual cost to the fund for the subsidy increase is estimated at $474 million.