"Public Policy Fee System: Must Consider Expanding Public Healthcare and Medically Underserved Areas Together"

Public Health Care Recovery and Essential Medical Services
Discussion Forum for Strengthening National Responsibility

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Young-won] Opinions have emerged that in order for the public policy fee system promoted by the Yoon Seok-yeol administration to contribute to the expansion of essential medical care, the quantitative expansion of medical vulnerable areas and public healthcare should also be considered.

Professor Jung Baek-geun of the Department of Preventive Medicine at Gyeongsang National University College of Medicine gave a presentation on the topic of "Desirable Introduction Methods of the Public Policy Fee System" at a forum held on the 26th at the National Assembly Museum for the recovery of public health and medical care and strengthening national responsibility for essential medical care.

The public policy fee system is a system that strengthens the compensation system by separately setting fees for places responsible for public healthcare functions and is included in the government's national agenda. The purpose is to strengthen the foundation of essential medical care by introducing public policy fees in areas with avoidance such as cerebral artery craniotomy and areas with decreased demand such as childbirth. On the 25th of last month, the Ministry of Health and Welfare launched the "Essential Medical Care Expansion Promotion Team" with related organizations such as the National Health Insurance Corporation and the Health Insurance Review and Assessment Service.

Professor Jung said, "Looking at the contents related to the public policy fee system so far, it seems that the position of expanding essential medical care centered on the private sector rather than expanding public healthcare has been consistently maintained," adding, "However, there are not many private hospitals with capabilities in the essential medical care sector, and even if they provide essential medical care for a certain period, there is no guarantee that it will be provided sustainably."

He also pointed out that as the government focuses on the public policy fee system as the central alternative for essential medical care, the discourse on expanding public hospitals is becoming blurred. Professor Jung said, "The goal of expanding public hospitals, which was in the existing 2nd Basic Plan for Public Health and Medical Care, was further reduced in last month's work plan." According to Professor Jung, the basic plan announced last year included 22 regional base public hospitals for new construction, relocation and reconstruction, and expansion, but this year’s Ministry of Health and Welfare work plan set five new constructions and five expansions for local medical centers.

Furthermore, he argued that the public policy fee system centered on private hospitals could worsen the medical gap between regions. Professor Jung said, "Since private hospitals are mainly concentrated in the metropolitan area and large cities, expanding essential medical care centered on them and utilizing the public policy fee support plan will further widen the regional gap in essential medical care."

Professor Jung also noted that following the recent death of a nurse at Asan Hospital, the gap between medical fields is being emphasized more than the regional medical gap, which had been important for years. He explained, "The vulnerable fields in the most vulnerable regions are important but are not being revealed," adding, "Even though projects for vulnerable regions continue, the problems are not being resolved."

Considering these points, Professor Jung advised the need for parallel policies to expand public hospitals, clarify selection criteria for private hospitals, and implement policies to alleviate regional essential medical care disparities. Lim Jeong-su, head of the National Cancer Management Project at the National Cancer Center, who participated in the comprehensive discussion that day, also said, "The public policy fee system alone is not enough," adding, "A huge plan for manpower, facilities, and equipment, like in Japan, must be created in addition to fees."

On the other hand, there was also an argument that the public policy fee system can increase the public utilization of private medical institutions. Jang Sung-in, vice president of the Korea Health and Medical Forum, said, "The public policy fee system includes elements that can utilize private medical institutions, which account for the majority of medical resources in our country, as more public resources," adding, "Because resources are limited, efficiency must be emphasized, so I think we need to consider how to achieve public healthcare more efficiently."

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