Medical fees will rise 6.5% Sept. 1

Starting today, the average charges by medical facilities for follow-up medical care and external prescription charges, as well as other doctor`s fees, will rise 6.5%.

"According to the measures for the development of welfare and medicine of the medical reform announced August. 10, the readjusted medical fees will be enacted starting today," the Ministry of Health and Welfare announced.

The additional budget required for medical fees is expected to grow by 594.6 billion won annually, and of the amount, patients will have to carry the burden of 178.4 billion won.

For follow-up medical treatments, doctors` fees will rise from 4,300 won to 5,300 won, and hospitals` charges will be raised to 4,700 won from the 3,700 won, an increase of 1,000 won for both.

For prescriptions outside the doctors` offices or hospitals, patients will be required to pay an additional 1,092 won, and for the prescription of injections, 920 won.

For the patients` fees after a medical checkup, a prescription for medicine taken orally will cost the same, 2,200 won. However, if the prescription includes injection medicines, the patients will be required to pay 3,750 won.

In addition, the filling of prescriptions by pharmacists using a mixture of medicinal ingredients for children younger than 6 will increase by 200 won, and for working hours during the night or holidays, the pharmacists` fees will increase 30%.