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🇰🇷 South Korea /Health & Science

Manual therapy prices to drop to 40,000 won per session, rehabilitation and physical therapy prioritized

From Hankyoreh · () Korean

Translated from Korean, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

News Official statement New plan
  • Starting July 1, manual therapy (dosu therapy) prices are standardized to approximately 40,000 won per session, with a limit of two sessions per week.
  • The therapy is now covered under a management benefit, requiring patients to undergo at least four basic physical therapy sessions over two weeks prior to manual therapy.
  • Exceptions exist for specific medical conditions, and treatments beyond the annual limit for therapeutic purposes must be paid for out-of-pocket.

Starting July 1, manual therapy, known as 'dosu therapy' in South Korea, will see its price standardized to around 40,000 won per session, a significant reduction from previous varying costs. This change is part of a new management benefit system implemented by the Ministry of Health and Welfare to regulate previously uncovered medical services that were prone to excessive treatment.

The new policy caps manual therapy sessions at two per week, with a total annual limit of 15 sessions. Patients will pay approximately 41,660 won per session, with the remaining cost covered by insurance. This system aims to reduce patient out-of-pocket expenses while ensuring more controlled access to the therapy. For individuals with private insurance, such as comprehensive medical insurance, claims can be made for reimbursement.

Accessing manual therapy will now require a prerequisite: patients must undergo at least four basic physical therapy or simple rehabilitation sessions over a minimum of two weeks. Following this, a doctor or physical therapist must conduct a one-on-one manual therapy session lasting at least 30 minutes for the management benefit to apply. The Ministry plans to evaluate the system's performance every three years and make adjustments as needed.

While the standard annual limit is 15 sessions, exceptions are allowed for patients with conditions like joint stiffness due to surgery or fractures. In such cases, up to 24 sessions may be approved based on a doctor's medical judgment. For the remainder of 2024, the full annual allowance of 15 (or 24) sessions can be utilized. Treatments sought for personal needs like fatigue recovery or posture correction, outside of therapeutic necessity, will not be covered by insurance and will require full out-of-pocket payment at the clinic's set non-covered rates.

This management benefit introduction is a measure to prevent indiscriminate excessive treatment and reduce patients' medical costs, thereby strengthening the non-covered management system.

— Jeong Eun-kyungMinister of Health and Welfare, explaining the rationale behind the new policy for manual therapy.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by Hankyoreh in Korean. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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