Three basic things needed to maintain one’s life, shelter, clothing and food, are all related to good health. On this critical issue, since we all need and desire healthy lives, South Korea seems to have embarked on a dangerous direction. Being envied by the President Barack Obama, medical system of South Korea is ironically on the verge of a reformation. Medical privatization, which many do not fully understand the truth behind, should not be implemented.
Few years ago, President Barack Obama signed Affordable Care Act (ACA) or so called “Obamacare” into law. President Obama has been continuously mentioned that the United States (US) should follow the medical services and system of South Korea. Basically, “Obamacare” is about expanding public and private health insurance coverage and ultimately reducing the costs of healthcare of individuals.
The South Korean government, however, seems to be going the exact opposite direction of the current medical system which the US is trying to follow. Currently, the government is about to carry out medical privatization. That is, the government is allowing hospitals to establish their affiliated for-profit companies while the hospitals remain as non-profit organization just like before. At the first glance, this change might not seem to have any problems and may even seem like it could provide a better quality of medical care.
Taking a deeper look, affiliated for-profit companies would be able to intervene freely in any part of the hospitals. For the sake of profits, the companies would be able to sell medical products, medical equipment, medicine and anything that is directly related to medical services, possibly at high cost to patients. If the price of medical services increases, the portion that the national health insurance cover will subsequently decrease. Then, people who are rich enough to afford the expensive medical service would be able to go to hospitals while the poor would not be able to go to hospitals. Such situation is very similar to that of the US.
The word “medical” in “medical privatization” becomes superficial and will lose its original meaning if medical privatization really happens. Medical services are supposed to be provided equally to all citizens in one country. Through medical privatization, there are going to be numerous people who cannot even attempt to go to hospitals. This creates inequality among citizens based on their affluence. So, when medical privatization is being implemented, there is not going to be the fair “medical” treatments to the citizens. The term itself is paradoxical.
As a person who lived in the US for two years, I was astonished to realize how much expensive it was to just have a check-up in the hospital in the US. Imagining that the similar situation might happen when medical privatization is implemented in South Korea, medical privatization can turn one’s life into a tragedy. Today’s adults of the contemporary society need to bequeath a better society to future generations.
Medical privatization externally seems like something significant and something that would benefit citizens. Internally, however, it is something that hides its dark side behind it. Currently, many people are unaware of the dark side behind medical privatization. It is high time that the public know what exactly it is. It is high time that the President Park recognize what is good for the citizens. It is high time that implementation of medical privatization be reconsidered.