(Yicai Global) May 18 -- Residents in Nanjing, the capital of China’s eastern Jiangsu province, can buy China-made Covid-19 medicines for as little as CNY31.50 (USD4.50), as national healthcare insurance covers up to 95 percent of the cost.

Xiannuoxin, China’s first homegrown 3CL protease inhibitor pill for Covid-19 developed by Nanjing-based Simcere Pharmaceutical Group, is priced at CNY630 (USD90) per box. But thanks to 95 percent reimbursement from the insurance program, Nanjing residents are paying only CNY31.50 a box for the drug, Yicai Global learned from the city’s health authorities.

In March, the National Healthcare Security Administration announced that the healthcare insurance fund should temporarily cover several China-made Covid-19 drugs. It also allowed local governments to decide the level of reimbursement on their own.

The new policy will ease the economic on people, meet their need for medicines, and help make Covid treatments more affordable to more people, Chen Chong, a Nanjing health official, told Yicai Global.

Mindewei and Leruiling, other two homegrown 3CL protease inhibitors, are also covered by Nanjing’s healthcare insurance fund, as residents can get 90 percent back, according to a document issued by the Nanjing Healthcare Security Administration.

Developed by Junshi Biosciences and Zhongsheng Pharmaceutical, Mindewei and Leruiling are priced at CNY795 and CNY628, respectively.

US pharmaceutical giant Pfizer’s Paxlovid sells for CNY1,890 (USD270) a box in public hospitals and CNY2,170 in private medical institutions. Buyers need to pay the full price for Paxlovid because the policy to reimburse for the drug through the healthcare fund has run out.

Editors: Shi Yi, Futura Costaglione