China adds 107 drugs to 2026 insurance catalogue; $1.29 million CAR-T cancer therapy covered for the first time

China's National Healthcare Security Administration on November 14 released the 2026 national basic medical insurance drug catalogue and the commercial health insurance innovative drug catalogue in Suzhou, Xinhua reported. The new basic insurance catalogue adds 107 drugs, including 51 Class-1 innovative drugs — a record high — covering oncology, rare diseases, chronic diseases, mental illness and other areas of urgent clinical need. After the adjustment, the catalogue totals 3,331 drugs, including 1,935 Western medicines and 1,396 traditional Chinese patent medicines. The new catalogue takes effect on January 1, 2027.

CAR-T therapy enters insurance for the first time

The most-watched change is the first inclusion of a CAR-T cancer therapy in basic medical insurance. According to the Shenzhen Economic Daily, JW Therapeutics' CAR-T product relmacabtagene autoleucel (brand name Carteyva, known in Chinese as Beinuoda) has entered the catalogue. The drug previously cost as much as 1.29 million yuan per dose; media reports say patients' out-of-pocket costs will fall below 100,000 yuan after reimbursement, sharply easing the payment burden. CAR-T products already marketed in China generally cost between 900,000 and 1.3 million yuan, and patients previously mostly had to pay in full or rely on commercial insurance, which greatly limited access.

Commercial insurance catalogue adds 12 drugs

The commercial health insurance innovative drug catalogue added 12 drugs in parallel, including the world's first solid-tumor CAR-T therapy and China's first hemophilia gene therapy. After the adjustment, the 2026 commercial catalogue totals 28 drugs. The administration adjusts the catalogues once a year, and the record number of new Class-1 innovative drugs reflects the acceleration of innovative drug development and launches in China in recent years.

Sources: Xinhua; Shenzhen Economic Daily (via 21st Century Business Herald). Post-reimbursement patient costs are as reported in the media; exact reimbursement rates depend on local implementation rules.