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There's rising hope Korean doctors and the government will be able to talk through their
differences and hopefully avert an upcoming six-day doctors' strike planned for the last
week of the month. Our Song Ji-sun tells us about the issues
dividing the two sides. Medical doctors and the government are preparing for a meeting
after Prime Minister Chung Hong-won proposed talks by March 20th to seek a compromise.
The Korean Medical Association of doctors,... upset over government's plans to implement
telemedicine and to set up for-profit subsidiaries... is planning a six-day strike from March 24
unless an agreement is reached. Doctors claim the government plan could undermine
public health. The government, on the other hand, says the
new telemedicine system is necessary to offer benefits to the elderly, disabled and patients
in remote areas, along with people with chronic diseases.
The doctors are also calling for a reform of the current public health plan... saying
it earns them unreasonably low consultation fees... but at the same time burdens the public
because of the high costs for services not covered by the state-run health system.
Many Koreans rely on private insurance as the public health plan does not cover the
full range of expenses. Medical fees in Korea are relatively cheaper
than those of most developed countries. For example, artery bypass surgery in Koresa
costs one sixth of what it costs in the U.S. Hospitals have been accused of offsetting
their losses by advising patients that they undergo costly checkup services such as MRIs.
An OECD survey shows, the pace of rise in medical spending is the second highest in
Korea among member countries. Song Ji-sun, Arirang News.