S. Korean presidential committee proposes raising cost coverage in essential medical fields

Seoul, Aug 30 (IANS) South Korea’s presidential committee on medical reform said on Friday it has proposed increasing cost coverage rates by the state health insurance system in essential medical fields within three years.

The proposal by the presidential committee also aims to bolster compensation for six medical fields, including emergency rooms, paediatrics and obstetrics, Yonhap news agency reported.

The move is aimed at improving working conditions at hospitals at a time when thousands of trainee doctors have left their worksites in late February in protest of the government’s push to increase the number of medical students.

The committee said it seeks to adjust cost coverage rates in some 3,000 treatment procedures over the next three years.

In addition, the committee said it will set up a new consultative body this year to discuss medical school enrollment quotas for 2026.

The government has already finalised a plan to increase the medical school quota by about 1,500 students next year to address the shortage of doctors in essential services.

The medical community has been reiterating that the government should fully reconsider the hike before engaging in any negotiations.

Last month, hospitals processed the resignations of nearly 7,700 trainee doctors who have been protesting the medical school quota increase since February, allowing departing doctors to seek new jobs and enabling hospitals to recruit fresh trainees.

However, the government’s efforts to normalise the medical system encountered obstacles, as the medical community largely resisted hospitals’ attempts to recruit new trainees. They have been demanding better working conditions which are not being met to date, and a state of mutual agreements remains elusive from both the sides as of now.

–IANS

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