Concerns Over Health Insurance Funds: Is Hair Loss Treatment Coverage Expanding?

[Anchor]

Moving on to our next story. There is a heated debate over whether to apply national health insurance coverage to hair loss treatments. While the government has stated it will reduce support for minor ailments like cataracts due to concerns over health insurance finances, it is simultaneously pushing to include hair loss treatment under the insurance plan.

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 their prescriptions.

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

[Citizen A: (Before and after treatment) The quality of life is completely different. It gives you confidence. Especially for men, appearance is often proportional to the amount of hair... I think hair loss should be considered a medical condition.]

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

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 shifted its position, stating it will pursue an expansion of health insurance benefits.

While the ministry says it has completed a working-level review 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 (Yesterday): We have reviewed various implementation plans, and since the process of listening to social opinions at the 'Public Discussion' (next month) is the priority...]

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

The government plans to reduce financial 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 treatments for critical, life-threatening diseases.

[Kim Sung-joo / Chairman of the Korea Alliance of Patients with Severe Diseases: Even though new drugs for pancreatic cancer or lung cancer are being released, there are incredibly difficult hurdles to overcome before they are covered by insurance. Patients are waiting for years...]

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

Reported by Park Ha-jeong | Video by Kim Ho-jin | Graphics by Kim Ha-neul | VJ by Shin So-young
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.