Pharmacists and Civic Groups Rally in Opposition Ahead of Health Insurance Review and Assessment Service's Pilot Project on Telemedicine...

Tension filled the area in front of the meeting hall as pharmacists and civic groups strongly opposed the Health Insurance Policy Deliberation Committee (건정심) meeting held on the 30th to discuss the finalized plan for the pilot project of non-face-to-face medical consultations.

Pharmacists and members of civic groups opposing the pilot project for non-face-to-face medical treatment are holding a press conference in front of the International Electronics Center in Seocho-gu, Seoul, where the Health Insurance Policy Deliberation Committee meeting is being held on the 30th. [Image source=Yonhap News]

At 8 a.m. that day, the Free Medical Movement Headquarters held a press conference in front of the International Electronics Center in Seocho-gu, Seoul, where the 건정심 meeting was taking place, opposing the pilot project for non-face-to-face medical consultations. They pointed out, "The claim that the pilot project will continue until the Medical Service Act is amended is clearly a trick to bypass the law and forcibly push forward medical privatization."

They also criticized the proposal to apply a 130% fee for non-face-to-face medical consultations, stating, "The government intends to deplete the health insurance fund and raise medical costs for the profits of platform companies and medical institutions," adding, "At the very least, tens of billions to trillions of won in health insurance finances will inevitably be wasted unnecessarily."

Pharmacist organizations such as the Seoul Pharmaceutical Association and the Gyeonggi Pharmaceutical Association also gathered in large numbers to criticize the pilot project for non-face-to-face medical consultations. They raised their voices, saying, "The pilot project is ultimately a preliminary step toward medical privatization," and "Excessive financial input into non-face-to-face medical consultations that fatten platforms is unacceptable."

The Free Medical Movement Headquarters also attempted to enter the 건정심 meeting hall after requesting to observe the meeting but were stopped. A physical scuffle broke out during this process. The 건정심 meeting, originally scheduled for 8 a.m., was delayed by about 45 minutes due to this incident.