The Korean government’s plan to extend National Health Insurance Service (NHIS) coverage to hair-loss medication is drawing mounting criticism from patient groups and medical experts, who argue that it could undermine the core principles of the public health insurance system. Critics question whether subsidizing hair-loss treatment should take priority over expanding coverage for life-saving therapies for patients with severe illnesses. They also warn that approving coverage for hair-loss drugs could open the door to similar demands for weight-loss medications, growth hormone treatments and other therapies that fall somewhere between medical necessity and quality-of-life improvement. According to government officials on Thursday, the Ministry of Health and Welfare will hold a public discussion on July 4 as part of the interior ministry’s “Forum for Everyone” initiative to gather public opinion on the proposal. The ministry is considering expanding insurance coverage beyond conditions such as alopecia areata to include androgenetic alopecia — the common hereditary form of hair loss kn
