'The Price Is Right': Pet Parents Cry Out Over Skyrocketing Medical Bills

Health Checkups and Scaling Cost 830,000 KRW
No Standard Price, Price Variation Up to 80 Times
Only 18% of Hospitals Post Treatment Fees in Advance

Last Year’s Pet Insurance Enrollment Rate 0.63%
Limited Coverage, High Premiums
Only 12% Say "Raised Until Death"
Worst 'Abandonment' Cycle Caused

The photo is not directly related to the article. Photo by Asia Economy DB

[Asia Economy Reporter Jeong Dong-hoon] Office worker Son Min-ho (35) took his pet cat 'Luna' to the animal hospital for a regular check-up. It was to check for common diseases in cats such as urinary stones and cystitis. After the examination, Son received a bill showing 830,000 won. The check-up fee alone was 510,000 won, and the scaling cost was 320,000 won. Although he had roughly expected it, after spending over 800,000 won, Son said, "Because pet treatment costs are exorbitant, I'm considering whether I should at least get insurance."

There is growing dissatisfaction among 'Petfamjok' (people who consider their pets as family) regarding pet medical expenses. They question whether it is appropriate to be charged much higher fees for even simple tests like X-rays compared to humans. As the demand for meticulous care of pets' health increases, the market is introducing high-priced check-ups and treatment methods, leading to an overall rise in medical costs. This phenomenon also contributes to cases where animals are abandoned because owners cannot afford the treatment costs.

The biggest complaint from Petfamjok is the pricing issue described as "whatever price is asked." Since there is no standard pricing, consumers suffer from information asymmetry and are shocked by "medical bills bombs." According to a survey by the Korea Consumer Federation comparing prices at 50 animal hospitals in Seoul and Gyeonggi Province, the price difference for treatments can be up to 80 times (extraction fees ranging from a minimum of 5,000 won to a maximum of 400,000 won). Only 18% of hospitals posted their fees in advance. For neutering surgery, prices varied about fivefold between hospitals, and vaccination fees differed up to 4.7 times depending on the item.

There is pet insurance to ease the burden on Petfamjok, but it has not become widespread. According to the non-life insurance industry, the number of pet insurance subscriptions increased from 1,819 in 2016 to 2,638 in 2017 and 8,147 in 2018. However, based on the number of registered pets with local governments, the pet insurance subscription rate last year was only 0.63%. Petfamjok hesitate to subscribe because the coverage of products is limited. Especially since most products focus on dogs, there are almost no products developed for other animals like cats. Many essential medical services for pets, such as heartworm disease, pregnancy, and childbirth, are often not covered by insurance. The premiums themselves are also relatively expensive, ranging from 400,000 to 800,000 won annually. An insurance industry official said, "It is difficult to secure basic data for calculating insurance loss ratios such as disease incidence rates. Since pet medical fees are not standardized, even the pet insurance products that have been launched must limit their coverage."

The high medical cost burden forms a vicious cycle leading to pet abandonment. According to a survey by Animal Freedom Coalition, only 12% of respondents answered "until death" to the question "How long have you raised your dog?"

Meanwhile, the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs is pushing for amendments to the Veterinary Service Act aiming to introduce a standard treatment system for animal hospitals. The goal is to standardize treatment items and disclose fees by item to increase predictability of medical costs and reduce the burden. Park Ae-kyung, Secretary General of the Korea Dog Association, said, "Consumers should be provided with sufficient information about diagnostic procedures and medical fees from animal hospitals."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.