[아이뉴스24 문장원 기자] President Lee Jae-myung ordered on the 16th to review health insurance coverage of hair loss treatments. During the 20th presidential election, President Lee received a positive response by making a pledge to ‘apply health insurance for hair loss treatment’.
In a business report held at the Sejong Convention Center on this day for the Ministry of Health and Welfare, the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety, and the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency, President Lee said, “Isn’t hair loss a part of the disease? I heard that young people use it a lot these days,” and asked Minister of Health and Welfare Jeong Eun-kyung, “Have you ever considered it?”
Minister Jeong responded, “Currently, health insurance supports treatment for hair loss that occurs due to medical reasons, such as alopecia areata,” and “In the case of hair loss that occurs due to genetic factors, it is not covered by health insurance because it has little correlation with medical treatment. It is true that treatments for hair loss, acne, and obesity are currently widely used in non-covered treatment.”
In response, President Lee asked again, “Genetic diseases are also caused by genes, so isn’t it a question of clarifying the concept of whether or not to call it a disease?” and Minister Jeong said, “I don’t think what symptoms are the problem. We don’t provide benefits because we don’t think it’s a disease that has symptoms or affects life.”
President Lee said, “(Hair loss) used to be viewed as a cosmetic issue, but these days, it seems to be accepted as a matter of survival.” He added, “It would be good to consider how much it costs, and if unlimited coverage is too much of a financial burden, limiting the number of times or the total amount.”
In addition, he emphasized again, “I heard that drug prices will go down if you designate it as a medical insurance policy. Please review it including that.”
President Lee said, “I paid the intergenerational insurance premium, but I do not receive any benefits. I really need it, but I think I need to think about the question of why they aren’t providing it. I’m saying this because these days, this is a problem for young people, and the sense of alienation among young people has grown too much.”
/Reporter Moon Jang-won (moon3346@inews24.com)
