The incorporation of the Epilepsy Refractory to the Explicit Health Guarantee Plan (GES)a step that was formalized on December 1 when the new decree 2025-2028 was published, which details the technical aspects and the new drugs that the basket now includes.
The news was announced in a ceremony headed by the President of the Republic, Gabriel Borictogether with the Minister of Health, Ximena Aguilerato which they were invited Dr. Jorge Forster y Dr. Keryma Acevedo representing our institution, and also directors of the Refractory Epilepsy Network of Chile.
The fact that the State of Chile now guarantees coverage of epilepsy in general, without making distinctions between refractory or non-refractory, is the culmination of a campaign promoted by patient groups, institutions like ours, parliamentarians and scientific societies.
Comprehensive coverage and national reach
After the ceremony, held in the Plaza de la Ciudadanía, the President of the League, Dr. Förster He highlighted the positive impact that the measure will have on patients and their families: “it is a great step forward in the comprehensive treatment of epilepsy, a very important help for families, for caregivers and for all community institutions and health professionals who work in the field of epilepsy,” he said.
In the same line, Dra. Acevedo (Past President)stressed the time invested and the need to look to the future: “what we see today is the result of at least three years of working together. It is a vast improvement to the plan, but this is not the until, it is the from. Because we still have a way to go, we want more on our path to improving the quality of life of people with epilepsy and their families.
Claudia Delardvice president of the Refractory Epilepsy Network of Chile, also expressed the feeling of emotion that overcomes the different foundations and patient groups that have sustained this “fight” for years. “We are very excited that this is finally the starting point for greater equity and greater dignity in the health of patients.”
Finally, the representative Carolina Marzan -one of the parliamentarians who provided the greatest support to achieve this demand- expressed her deep satisfaction after the government announcement: «I am deeply happy to be here in La Moneda today, when the President of the Republic and the Minister of Health announce the new additions to the GES and the expansion in addition to the benefits. We were putting up a tremendous fight for Refractory Epilepsy to enter the GES. The fight paid off,” he concluded.
The new GES decree eliminates the distinction between refractory and non-refractory epilepsies, ensuring coverage from diagnostic confirmation, and includes key diagnostic services such as neurological evaluation and Electroencephalogram (EEG), in addition to an expanded basket of medications that benefits all ages (GES N°22 and N°60).
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