Non-Covered Service Reporting Items Expanded from 594 to 1068
The Ministry of Health and Welfare announced on the 8th that it will actively manage indemnity insurance to prevent unnecessary medical overuse. The ministry explained that it aims to reduce unnecessary non-covered services and strengthen essential medical care. Accordingly, starting from the 15th, all medical institutions, including clinics, must report 'non-covered medical services' that are not covered by health insurance benefits.
Park Min-su, the 2nd Vice Minister of the Ministry of Health and Welfare, stated that the 'Indemnity Insurance Improvement Promotion Plan' was discussed at the Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasures Headquarters meeting regarding the doctors' collective action on the same day.
At a Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasures briefing in the morning, Vice Minister Park said, "As of 2023, indemnity insurance, which 40 million people have subscribed to, has complemented health insurance and improved medical accessibility. However, it has been identified as a factor that increases national medical expenses due to unnecessary medical use expansion and excessive compensation in non-essential medical fields, thereby exacerbating the unfairness of the compensation system and distorting the medical system."
According to the Ministry of Health and Welfare, as of the end of 2022, indemnity insurance payments reached 12.9 trillion KRW, with first- and second-generation indemnity insurance, which have almost no out-of-pocket expenses, accounting for 10.6 trillion KRW or 82%. The government decided to actively manage indemnity insurance to normalize the distorted medical market and prevent unnecessary medical overuse.
First, the ministry plans to strengthen the management of non-covered medical services. Vice Minister Park said, "Starting from the 15th, the non-covered service reporting system will be implemented at all medical institutions, including clinics," adding, "The number of reporting items has increased from 594 to 1,068 to improve access to non-covered service information."
The non-covered service reporting system requires medical institutions to mandatorily report the costs and details of non-covered medical services to health authorities. The purpose is to understand the status of non-covered services and provide necessary information for the public to use medical services rationally. The system was implemented last year for hospital-level and higher medical institutions and will be expanded to all medical institutions from this month.
Vice Minister Park explained, "We will reorganize the system to be user-centered and disclose not only the prices of non-covered services but also safety and efficacy evaluation results, as well as total medical expenses by disease, to the public."
He added, "The Medical Reform Special Committee will discuss improvement plans for indemnity insurance and strengthening non-covered service management to prepare more fundamental improvement measures."
On the same day, the Ministry of Health and Welfare described the government's medical reform as "innovating the medical system so that residents can work under better conditions."
Vice Minister Park urged the residents who have left their posts, saying, "The government's medical reform aims to reduce the excessive working hours of residents in training, ensure fair compensation for those who choose essential medical care, and alleviate legal burdens related to medical accidents so that they can focus solely on treatment," and he added, "I once again urge you to promptly return to the field."
© The Asia Business Daily(www.asiae.co.kr). All rights reserved.
