KMA Opposes Health Insurance Coverage for Korean Herbal Medicine Prescriptions

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Jin-gyu Lee] The Korean Medical Association (KMA) held a rally on the afternoon of the 28th at Hanbit Square in Cheonggyecheon, Seoul, and asserted their opposition to the inclusion of Hanbang herbal decoctions in health insurance coverage. Herbal decoctions are medicines made by mixing various traditional Korean herbal ingredients into a decoction, with a typical single dose referred to as one "cheop."

The KMA stated, "It is a reckless idea to include Hanbang herbal decoctions, whose safety has not been verified, in insurance coverage," and criticized, "Hanbang medicine should not be subject to insurance coverage but rather to scientific verification."

The KMA also demanded that the government scrap the pilot project plan for insurance coverage of herbal decoctions. Furthermore, they called for the establishment of a separate Hanbang health insurance system so that citizens can choose whether to enroll.

Choi Dae-jip, president of the KMA, said, "If there are citizens who wish to receive Hanbang treatment, they should be allowed to pay separate Hanbang insurance premiums to reduce the excessive burden on the public."

Earlier, on the 9th, the Ministry of Health and Welfare held a subcommittee meeting of the Health Insurance Policy Deliberation Committee, the highest decision-making body for health insurance, and presented a plan for a pilot project to include herbal decoctions in insurance coverage.

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