Regulatory Updates

The Ministry of Health and Welfare announced that a State Council‑approved amendment to the National Health Insurance Act now clearly defines reimbursable and non‑reimbursable drugs, while preserving protections for severe and rare disease patients.

Labor unions urged the government to promptly apply the statutory 20% national treasury support and devise financial measures to strengthen health insurance coverage.

HIRA has appointed Ajou University Prof. Park Rae‑woong, an expert in health data and AI, as the 9th Chair of its Clinical Review Committee for a two‑year term.

Analysis of NHIS data shows that in 2023, 38 of 60 Korean medical districts (63.3%) had pediatric inpatient self‑sufficiency rates below the national average of 79%.

The Korean Medical Association calls for a fiscally sustainable 2027 health insurance premium rate as the 15th Health Insurance Policy Review Committee meets on the 8th.

Pharmacies report that health‑insurance claim software experiences delays and network errors at month‑end due to overload of the HIRA medical‑claim portal server.

Korea Pfizer announced that etanercept (Enbrel) will be reimbursed by national health insurance for severe active non‑radiographic axial spondyloarthritis patients starting September 1, expanding treatment access.

월말·월초 청구 집중 시 약국들의 시스템 접속 지연이 반복돼 대한약사회가 건강보험심사평가원에 운영 환경 개선을 요구했다.

Korea is discussing broader telemedicine drug delivery after a remote prescription of a 60‑day supply of single‑use hyaluronic‑acid eye drops, sparking safety concerns.

The domestically developed CAR‑T drug Rimkato (Anbalcapatgen Autolyscel) cleared the drug reimbursement evaluation committee, moving closer to inclusion in national health‑insurance coverage.

The Health Care Organizations Union criticizes the government's decision to set next year's health insurance national support at 14.4%, calling it an insult to workers and low‑income citizens.

Duochem Bio's PSMA-targeted PET-CT radiopharmaceutical ‘Prostasic’ is now reimbursed under South Korea’s health insurance, lowering costs for patients with moderate‑to‑high metastasis risk.