[Editorial] Higher insurance costs, but no medical care

The government`s final negotiating card has been turned down by the striking medical community. As a consequence, the nation`s medical services are in pandemonium. The government`s package requires additional public spending of some 2.2 trillion won. Thus, the people`s sufferings have now doubled. Namely, no medical services, but the certainty of paying higher medical expenses.

We should emphasize here again that we must immediately resolve the medical pandemonium which is causing great suffering and discomfort for the people. The medical community argues that, to get its voice heard, it has no other recourse but a strike. Now that it obtained through its collective strike a substantial portion of what it has asked for, any prolonged, collective strike of doctors and hospital shut-downs can not be justified.

The medical community argues that the government must rewrite the already revised armaceutical Law so as to ensure the prevention of pharmacists` discretionary or substitute dispensing of drugs and medicines. They also argue that the five-month probationary period to ban over-the-counter sale of unpacked medicinal tablets must also be reviewed so as to enforce it immediately. In addition, they demand the release of the imprisoned Korea Medical Association leaders as well as the withdrawal of their arrest warrant.

Water-tight measures must be taken against chemists` discretionary and substitute dispensation of drugs in view of the unsavory problems we experienced during the last 10 days since the separation of professional practice between doctors` prescription and pharmacists` dispensation of drugs.

As for banning over-the-counter sale of individual pills, it is inevitable to have some probationary period in view of the pharmacies` sale for the unpacked tablets in stock, and drug manufacturers` new packaging as well as individuals` inordinate expenses due to the new system`s compulsory purchase of at least 30 packed tablets at a time.

At the same time, due attention must be given to doctors` worries that they may have to close their medical clinics within five months if chemists are allowed to practice discretionary dispensation of medicines for patients out of unpacked individual pills.

As for the revocation of arrest warrants and the release of imprisoned KMA leaders, it raises the question of impartiality of law enforcement. Thus, it is improper for the medical doctors to make such demands for their withdrawal of strikes.

At any rate, such conditions are something they can resolve via dialogue without closing down hospitals and clinics. The medical community, it should be recalled, gave due recognition to the fact that the government has shown quite a reassuring and encouraging posture on resolution of the crisis.

We can not but hold the government responsible for the resulting lamentable state of affairs because it tackled the issue in the wrong way to begin with. Due measures to remedy unreasonably low insurance payments, low doctors` pay and low insurance reimbursement to hospitals should have preceded the government`s enforcement of the new system for the separation of professional roles of doctors and pharmacists over the use of medicine.

Without taking such remedial measures first, the government`s unilateral enforcement solely on the basis of the new system`s superficial rationale led to the government`s deplorable negotiating position, as always being dragged in by doctors` demands.

Adequate medical services require patients to pay equally adequate expenses. The government erred at this point because there were no prior efforts via a public debate to determine, or arrive at a social consensus, as to what constitutes a just and adequate medical expense. The government had a mistaken order of priorities in its undertaking of medical reform.

We urge the medical community to stop its strikes and to have down-to-earth talks with the government to resolve the crisis. Only through such a mutual dialogue can they find a way to remedy the nation`s medical and health services.