Doctors condemn government's ban on mixed cataract surgery treatments, citing risks to public eye health

The government's decision to ban mixed treatment for cataract surgeries is raising concerns in the medical community.

The Ministry of Health and Welfare recently chose cataract surgery using multifocal lenses as one of the “unreimbursed treatments with obvious excess concern,” revealing its will to limit insurance benefits for the combined treatment.

A special committee on healthcare reform deliberated and approved the decision last Friday.

In response, the Korean Ophthalmologists Association issued a statement on Tuesday and expressed regret, calling it an “irresponsible policy” that hinders the public's eye health.

The association noted an increase in cataract-related medical expenses is due to the “population aging and the need to improve quality of life.”

“Cataract surgery is mostly a once-in-a-lifetime procedure, and it is highly unreasonable to put it in the same category as procedures performed repeatedly, such as chiropractic therapy,” it said.

The association acknowledged that there were over-surgery problems in actual loss insurance. However, it attributed the problems to the faults of insurers and brokers for poor policy design, adding that “these matters were also solved completely by underwriters’ refusals to pay claims.”

“Intraocular lenses (IOLs) are indispensable in cataract surgery. Multifocal IOLs are patient-optional, non-reimbursed materials separate from the practice of medicine. The use of non-reimbursed multifocal IOLs is a patient choice and is covered by a separate reimbursement system,” the association pointed out.

Nonetheless, the government is taking issue with this, “using distorted standards and calling it doctors’ overtreatment,” it added.

“Government intervention in private, unreimbursed care severely limits patients' treatment options,” the ophthalmologist's group said. “It is grossly unjust for the government to push it under the pretext of healthcare reform while excluding organizations representing the medical community and direct stakeholder groups.”

The association warned that banning mixed practices will severely infringe on people's eye health and face strong opposition from most people, eventually manifesting as resistance to medical policies.

“We firmly oppose irresponsible policies, such as restricting the reimbursement of cataract surgery. We urge the government to focus on measures that will help improve the quality of care and people's eye health,” it said.