Jaseng Hospital of Korean Medicine Announces Analysis Results of Chuna Therapy Utilization Data After National Health Insurance Coverage

Number of Claims Remains Stable After Inclusion in National Health Insurance Coverage

A study has found that the number of musculoskeletal patients receiving Chuna therapy has remained stable since the first year (2019) that it was covered by the National Health Insurance.

The Spine & Joint Research Institute at Jaseng Hospital of Korean Medicine announced on the 13th that, through a joint study with Professor Shin Byungchul's research team from the Graduate School of Korean Medicine at Pusan National University, they analyzed the "Utilization of Chuna Therapy for Musculoskeletal Disorders After Inclusion in National Health Insurance Coverage." The research paper was published in the SCI(E)-level international journal, BMJ Open (IF=2.3).

Medical staff at Jaseng Hospital of Korean Medicine are demonstrating Chuna manual therapy. Jaseng Hospital of Korean Medicine

Chuna therapy is a representative manual therapy performed by Korean medicine doctors, using hands, parts of the body, or specialized instruments to stimulate the body, restore musculoskeletal balance, and improve joint movement. The effectiveness of Chuna therapy in improving musculoskeletal disorders has been demonstrated in various studies, and, in recognition of these effects, it was included as a reimbursable item under the National Health Insurance on April 8, 2019.

However, there had been no studies analyzing the actual nationwide utilization of Chuna therapy. Most previous research was based on short-term data or limited to single institutions, making it difficult to comprehensively understand overall usage trends or patient characteristics.

In response, the research team led by Korean medicine doctor Baek Gilgeun at the Spine & Joint Research Institute of Jaseng Hospital of Korean Medicine conducted a comprehensive analysis using data from the Health Insurance Review & Assessment Service (HIRA). They examined utilization trends, patient characteristics, and concurrent treatments for musculoskeletal disorders after Chuna therapy was included as a reimbursable item. The study targeted patients who received Chuna therapy at least once for musculoskeletal disorders between April 2019 and December 2021 at various medical institutions, including Korean medicine clinics, Korean medicine hospitals, and general hospitals with Korean medicine departments.

Analysis of the HIRA data showed that the total number of Chuna therapy claims was 12,729,625, with patient utilization increasing after the first year of insurance coverage. Specifically, the number of Chuna therapy claims was 3,552,880 in 2019 (April to December), 4,531,078 in 2020, and 4,738,667 in 2021. However, since the 2019 figure covers only about nine months (April to December), converting this to a 12-month period demonstrates that the utilization of Chuna therapy has remained stable since its inclusion in insurance coverage.

By age group, the largest proportion of Chuna therapy patients was 45-54 years old (22.3%), and women (55.8%) accounted for a higher percentage than men. Concurrent treatments performed alongside Chuna therapy were acupuncture (97.4%), cupping (80.3%), electroacupuncture (67.3%), and moxibustion (31.4%), in that order. The most common diagnoses were low back pain, lumbar sprain and strain, and neck pain.

Additionally, the study found a tendency for higher utilization of Chuna therapy among patients with severe or chronic conditions. Complex Chuna therapy (with a 50% copayment) was more frequently used among the elderly (aged 65 and older), and the average number of treatments per person was higher compared to simple Chuna therapy, indicating its use for managing severe or chronic diseases. Notably, the proportion of patients receiving Chuna therapy 20 times per year increased from 2.47% in 2019 (April to December) to 3.63% in 2021. This figure represents the proportion of patients limited by the annual 20-session reimbursement cap, suggesting the need for improvements in current insurance policies.

Baek Gilgeun, a Korean medicine doctor, stated, "This study is significant as it is the first to analyze the complete national health insurance data following the inclusion of Chuna therapy as a reimbursable item," adding, "If reimbursement criteria are expanded and the scope of applicable diseases is broadened in the future, it could greatly contribute to improving public health."

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