The Korean Academy of Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases, alongside lawmaker Seo Young-seok, convened a policy debate at Seoul Lotte Hotel World to establish a comprehensive, lifecycle management framework for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).
The policy forum addressed post-implementation infrastructure for national health check-ups, discussing the creation of reimbursement fees for inhaler education, the expansion of benefit coverage for biological agents, and the introduction of special calculation exceptions for severe patients. The event was held on the 28th, with Korean Academy of Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases Chairman Yoo Kwang-ha and Democratic Party lawmaker Seo Young-seok hosting the gathering titled substitute-free
Seo Young-seok stated, right to breathe
national COPD lifecycle management framework completion policy debate.The healthy daily life that citizens and elderly people enjoy while breathing comfortably is a value that cannot be replaced by anything,
adding, We expect practical alternatives to be explored, ranging from the establishment of pulmonary function tests within national screenings to the creation of patient management infrastructure, expansion of access to new drugs for severe patients, and the introduction of special calculation exceptions.
Lifecycle Management and National Check-Up Integration
During the opening sessions, officials highlighted the necessity of structured care following the inclusion of pulmonary function tests for 56- and 66-year-olds under national health screening initiatives. Lee Jin-guk, publication director for the society, noted that while the screening program brings in an estimated 150,000 to 200,000 undiagnosed patients annually, clinical care lacks vital supporting infrastructure. 환자의 치료 효과 제고를 위해 흡입제 교육 수가 신설 등 정책적 지원이 뒷받침되어야 한다,
Lee emphasized, pointing out that medication adherence drops mortality risks significantly, yet primary clinics lack dedicated consultation fees for inhaler instructions.
Treatment Access for Severe COPD and Biological Agents
Hwang Yong-il, insurance director for the society, outlined the financial and clinical strains on advanced patients who experience frequent flare-ups despite triple therapy. Out of approximately 150,000 patients treated in domestic institutions, about 50,000 severe cases utilize triple therapy, with roughly 30,000 of them suffering multiple annual flare-ups. While foreign guidelines recommend biological agents for uncontrolled cases, local patients currently bear full out-of-pocket costs because reimbursement standards remain unestablished.
Addressing these coverage hurdles, Lee Sook-hyun, head of the drug listing department at the Health Insurance Review and Assessment Service, stated that cost-effectiveness reviews and economic evaluations for the biological agent Dupixent are underway following the conclusion of benefit-criteria discussions. Kim Eun-hee, an official from the Ministry of Health and Welfare’s insurance drug division, added that the ministry will thoroughly review high-cost drug effectiveness before proceeding with drug-price negotiations and statutory procedures, while also actively examining proposals for inhaler education reimbursement and special calculation exceptions.
