Lee urges review of coverage for hair loss

President Lee Jae-myung on Tuesday instructed the Ministry of Health and Welfare to review the possible expansion of National Health Insurance coverage for hair loss treatments, asking during a live policy briefing, “Isn’t hair loss also part of an illness?” Some observers cautioned that decisions on insurance coverage should not be driven by a president’s off-the-cuff remarks.

Speaking at a ministry briefing in Sejong, Lee said hair loss was once viewed largely as a cosmetic concern but is now increasingly perceived as an issue that affects daily life and well-being. He said the government should closely examine the associated costs and consider measures such as limiting the number of treatments or setting an overall coverage cap if unlimited benefits would place an excessive strain on public finances. When Health and Welfare Minister Chung Eun-kyeong explained that hair loss caused by genetic factors is not covered because it is less directly linked to medical treatment, Lee said the reasoning amounted to denying coverage simply because someone is bald. He added that genetic diseases are also hereditary and said the issue ultimately comes down to how such conditions are defined in policy terms.

Lee first drew public attention to the issue during the 2022 presidential campaign, when he pledged to extend National Health Insurance coverage to hair loss medications. On Tuesday, he said some young people may feel a sense of unfairness because they pay insurance premiums yet receive few tangible benefits in return. He added that he raised the issue because feelings of exclusion among younger generations have grown too strong to overlook.

Lee also remarked that there is talk that government policy briefings are now more entertaining than Netflix, saying that heightened public interest in state affairs should be seen as a positive sign. His comments underscored a willingness to confront controversy head-on, even after previous live broadcasts sparked debate over references to Hwandangogi and the overseas removal of bookmarked foreign currency.

Earlier in the day, Lee used a Cabinet meeting to press his campaign to strengthen discipline across the public sector. He said there are numerous cases in which senior officials lack the necessary competence yet remain in their posts through personal connections. He added that oversight, disciplinary action and accountability for such officials have been applied with excessive leniency.


Hoon-Sang Park tigermask@donga.com