With the presidential election fast approaching, the institutionalization of non-face-to-face medical treatment is expected to be included in the pledges of all three major presidential candidates. Regardless of who is elected, the non-face-to-face medical treatment, which has been in a pilot project for five years, will be brought into the institutional framework. All three candidates agree on the larger framework of institutionalization, but there are clear differences in the specific directions and standards.
According to various political parties and the medical community on the 23rd, all three presidential candidates, Lee Jae-myung (Democratic Party of Korea), Kim Moon-soo (People Power Party), and Lee Jun-seok (Reform Party), plan to include the institutionalization of non-face-to-face medical treatment in their pledges. In a situation where digital healthcare has emerged as an essential means, they all share the opinion that every citizen should receive equal medical services.
Since the outbreak of the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19), non-face-to-face medical treatment, which was temporarily allowed, has been implemented under a 'pilot project' framework without a legal basis for five years. During this time, more than one in three citizens (14 million people) has utilized non-face-to-face medical treatment.
To institutionalize non-face-to-face medical treatment, a legal basis must be established. Amending the Medical Care Act is essential, but the six proposed amendments to the Medical Care Act submitted in the 21st National Assembly have all been discarded without even discussion. Former President Yoon Suk-yeol also promised to legislate it, but there has been no progress.
In the 22nd National Assembly, first-term People Power Party lawmaker Choi Bo-yun (Health and Welfare Committee) proposed an amendment to the Medical Care Act in March, reigniting discussions. Shortly after, fellow party member Woo Jae-jun from the Environment and Labor Committee also submitted a similar amendment, aligning efforts. Jeon Jin-sook, a Democratic Party of Korea lawmaker from the Welfare Committee, is also preparing to submit legislation. Currently, a final proposal will be put forward right after the presidential election to lead the discussions.
Regardless of who becomes president, the trend toward institutionalization cannot be reversed, but each camp has a different perspective on how to institutionalize it.
Candidate Lee Jae-myung specified the institutionalization of non-face-to-face medical treatment as the first item in his '10 key pledges' on the 12th. Considering the legislation being prepared by lawmaker Jeon Jin-sook, the plan is to pursue an institutionalization strategy centered around an amendment to the Medical Care Act that limits targets to 'prohibited initial consultations' and 'patients under 18 and over 65.'
The non-face-to-face medical treatment proposed by the Democratic Party of Korea is expected to be significantly more restrictive than the current pilot project method, which allows treatment without distinction between initial and follow-up consultations. Concerns have been raised about potential inconveniences for both patients and medical staff when determining age or whether it's a follow-up consultation in urgent situations where non-face-to-face treatment is needed.
On the other hand, the proposal from People Power Party lawmakers Choi Bo-yun and Woo Jae-jun contains provisions that are relatively broadly permissible. It fundamentally allows non-face-to-face medical treatment without distinction between age or type of consultation (initial or follow-up), delegating the specific standards to be set by the Minister of Health and Welfare.
However, Kim Moon-soo, a candidate from the People Power Party, has not yet explicitly included non-face-to-face medical treatment in his pledges. It is known that his camp is currently finalizing specific criteria. Both parties have excluded the delivery of medications, which faces significant opposition from the Korea Pharmaceutical Association.
Reform Party candidate Lee Jun-seok has expressed support for the institutionalization itself, but there is a high possibility that the actual policy design will take the most conservative approach. Analysts point out that this is related to the fact that Lee Joo-young, a lawmaker with a medical background, is leading the policy committee in his camp.
A source from the Reform Party noted, "There is consensus on starting discussions for institutionalization, but in detail, it is likely to head in a relatively restrictive direction."