Pilot Telemedicine Program Price Set at up to 38,000 Won per Patient

The healthcare service providers that will be subject to the new pricing are those participating in the pilot program launched in September this year.(image: Kobizmedia/Korea Bizwire)

SEOUL, Nov.27 (Korea Bizwire) – The Ministry of Health and Welfare said on November 26 that it has set the price for a pilot program for telemedicine services within the range between 9,900 and 38,000 won per patient.

The healthcare service providers that will be subject to the new pricing are those participating in the pilot program launched in September this year. The main groups of patients to be under distant monitoring will be those with high blood pressure and diabetes who need prescription drug refills.

For simpler “e-monitoring” service that requires regular check-up and consultation for more than once a week in the form of text message, email, or online contact, the price has been set at 9,900 won a month. For a patient to get e-monitoring and distant consultation once or twice a month, it will cost an average of 24,000 won a month. Even when the number of distant consultation increases for a few more times, the total cost would be within the 38,000-won monthly ceiling.

Adding the initial in-person treatment cost to this, per-patient cost through the telemedicine program would be no more than 430,000 won a year. That means a healthcare service provider will get an average of 1.2 million won a month for treatment of 50 distant medicine program patients.

Based on the outcome of the pilot program in terms of usefulness, safety, and effectiveness, the ministry will determine whether to expand it to more hospitals and doctor’s offices across the country.

By Sean Chung (schung10@koreabizwire.com)