BEIJING - Chinese authorities are planning to officially include medicines used in the treatment of diseases related to novel coronavirus in the country's regular medical insurance programs.

Staff workers at a TCM pharmacy in Yichang in Hubei province, pack Chinese medicine for patients, on March 27, 2020. [Photo/Xinhua]

The National Healthcare Security Administration has published a draft work plan regarding adjustments to the list of medicines covered by the medical-insurance system, inviting the public to provide comments and opinions on the draft.

According to the draft, medications for respiratory diseases related to COVID-19 will be added to the list.

As of July 19, China's medical-insurance system had covered 1.23 billion yuan (about $176 million) of the treatment costs of COVID-19 patients, dealing with 135,500 insurance settlements that involved both confirmed and suspected patients.

The adjustment to the list of medicines is expected to further support the containment of COVID-19 on a regular and long-term basis.

In addition to the COVID-19-related medicines, the draft plan also includes some other newly-approved medicines that are deemed to be in urgent clinical need and several new pediatric drugs.

China adjusts the list of medicines covered by the medical-insurance system on an annual basis.