Doctors virtually left medical reform panel contrary to government’s wish to keep it

The “Special Committee for Healthcare Reform,” under the direct jurisdiction of President Yoon Suk Yeol, has been confirmed to be in a de facto state of suspension amid Yoon's impeachment process.

“Reinvigorating regional and essential medical care is necessary to protect the lives and health of the people despite the Korean Hospital Association (KHA)'s declaration that it would no longer participate in the committee,” Chairman Noh Yeon-hong said last Thursday. “We will work out reform plans by communicating with the medical community in various ways.”

Minister of Health and Welfare Cho Kyoo-hong expressed a similar position.

At a Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasures Headquarters meeting last Friday, Minister Cho said, “As the government promised to the public, we will continue to implement medical reform through dialogue and consultation with the medical community.”

Despite the government's stance, the special committee has suspended its operation.

“It should be considered that (the special committee) has been suspended. There is nothing that it can do now. The president's future status must be decided. Under these circumstances, nothing will be done,” Shin Eung-jin, head of the special committee’s subpanel for essential medical care and fair compensation, told Korea Biomedical Review over the phone. “Since the KHA declared its suspending of participation, it hasn’t even contacted me (regarding meetings).”

In this state, it is correct to say that the committee has been suspended (although there is no official government announcement). Shin added that even if the dialog continues without the medical community (including the KHA), no one will trust (the outcome of the discussions).

Separate from the current situation, Shin regrets that healthcare reform discussions have been suspended.

“It's regrettable (that the presidential declaration of emergency martial law has halted the committee's work),” Shin said. “The discussions on essential medical care processes, such as strengthening compensation for small- and medium-sized hospitals, have progressed considerably, and the second action plan, which will include improvements to the actual cost insurance system, is almost ready.”

Although the improvement of the actual cost insurance system was not agreed upon, the only thing left was the coordination between the Health and Welfare Ministry and the Financial Services Commission, Shin explained. However, it was stopped. This is regrettable because only when the actual cost insurance system is improved can essential medical care be revived, he added.

“The current situation will continue until the first half of next year. “I think the discussion should continue once the president steps down,” he said, “It (the KHA’s suspension of participation in the special committee’s discussion) is a sign of protest, not an intent that it would ruin the committee.”

When the situation (political turmoil due to the presidential impeachment) changes and the country is stabilized, the KHA will clarify its position (on participation in the committee, Shin added.

In a related development, the Ministry of Health and Welfare and the Financial Services Commission issued a news release on Nov. 27 disclosing the status of discussions on improving the uncovered treatment and actual cost insurance system.

The government said that the plan to improve non-benefit treatment and the actual cost system will be finalized and announced in late December after discussions with a special committee. The reforms are expected to include a limited ban on mixed treatments and a reference price system for non-reimbursed treatments.