Health Insurance Funds Running Low, Yet Expanding Coverage for Hair Loss Treatment?

[Anchor]

There is heated debate over whether to apply national health insurance coverage to hair loss treatment. While the government has stated it will reduce support for certain minor ailments due to concerns over health insurance finances, it is simultaneously pushing to include hair loss under the insurance umbrella.

Reporter Park Ha-jeong has the story.

[Reporter]

In front of a clinic in Jongno-gu, Seoul, often referred to as a "mecca" for hair loss treatment.

It is easy to find citizens who have just received prescriptions for medication.

Currently, health insurance covers hair loss caused by medical conditions, such as alopecia areata. However, opinions are divided on whether support should be extended to hair loss caused by genetics or hormones.

[Person A: The quality of life is completely different (before and after treatment). It gives you confidence. For men, especially, appearance is proportional to the amount of hair... I think hair loss is a disease as well.]

[Person B: (The medication cost) is a little over 10,000 won a month, so it shouldn't be considered too much. As for drugs that are truly expensive? I don't know about those.]

The Ministry of Health and Welfare, which had previously expressed a negative stance on applying health insurance to hair loss treatment,

[Jeong Eun-kyeong / Minister of Health and Welfare (December of last year): We do not view it as a condition that affects life...]

has recently changed its position, stating it will push for the expansion of health insurance benefits.

While the ministry says it has completed working-level reviews on how much additional funding is required, it has not disclosed who will be eligible or how much support will be provided.

[Jeong Eun-kyeong / Minister of Health and Welfare (Today): We have reviewed various implementation plans, and since the process of listening to social opinions at the 'Public Discussion' (next month) is a priority anyway...]

The National Assembly Budget Office has projected that the health insurance fund will face a deficit exceeding 5 trillion won starting this year.

The government plans to reduce health insurance support for 105 minor ailments, such as cataracts and atopic dermatitis, yet it is showing a willingness to provide support for hereditary hair loss, which has traditionally been classified as a cosmetic issue.

There are voices arguing that priority should be given to treating severe, life-threatening diseases.

[Kim Sung-ju / Chairman of the Korea Severe Disease Association: Even though there are many new drugs for diseases like pancreatic cancer or lung cancer, there are such difficult hurdles to overcome before they are covered by insurance. Patients have been waiting for years...]

The government must disclose the financial estimates required for hair loss treatment support and begin reaching a consensus on how to allocate limited resources.

(Video Editing: Kim Ho-jin, Design: Kim Ha-neul, VJ: Shin So-young)
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.