One of the things I do most while working at Homeless Action is accompanying people to hospitals. Not only are there many sick people, but when they go to the hospital alone, they often return without understanding the contents of the examination, or they return without completing the conveyor belt-like pilgrimage to the examination room or injection room. As these incidents accumulate, you end up giving up on going to the hospital, and in many cases, you need to be accompanied as your body becomes more damaged.
The same goes for Mr. Kim, who is a recipient of type 1 medical benefits and has an intellectual disability. Whenever there is a need to go to the hospital, Mr. Kim tells people around him, “I don’t know what the doctor is talking about, so let’s go together.” Among the words usually heard in a doctor’s office, there are many technical terms that are difficult for non-medical professionals to accurately understand. The patient’s disability characteristics, level of medical knowledge, and literacy are things that medical professionals must actively consider, but it is not easy to meet such a doctor in reality. For this reason, Mr. Kim mostly communicated with medical professionals with the help of his companions. At this time, the accompanying person’s duty is to help Mr. Kim make medical treatment choices based on his or her own doctor and experience. This is because the only person who feels pain and experiences relief through treatment is the patient.
Looking back on this experience, I do not understand the explanation that the Ministry of Health and Welfare is “encouraging appropriate use of medical care” or creating “incentives to refrain from unnecessary use” by reforming medical benefits from a flat system to a fixed rate system. This is because it means giving up the independent use of medical care by patients with pain. In addition, even if the ‘appropriate level of medical use’ is determined, the patient cannot be considered to have the power to control it. Patients may be able to adjust the number of visits to the hospital on their own, but it is not easy to directly put a brake on the treatment by medical professionals and the medical expenses calculated accordingly. This is a fundamental difference between non-medical personnel and medical personnel.
The analysis behind the fixed-rate system reform revealed by the Ministry of Health and Welfare is that “recipients’ cost consciousness has weakened.” The facts contained in these insulting words must be corrected. Beneficiaries live with a stronger sense of cost than anyone else. Although the cost of supply and demand increases every year, only the face value increases and falls far short of the actual price. In the meantime, some people used their living allowance to pay hospital bills, and they used their housing allowance first to make up for the shortfall in living expenses, but were unable to pay their monthly rent. Another beneficiary, Mr. Lee, recently visited an ophthalmologist to get a cataract test and found out that the test contents were a mix of benefit and non-benefit items. As medical benefits were not enough, I applied for a separate grant from the Korea Foundation for the Prevention of Blindness. Fortunately, I passed the payment screening and was able to proceed with the test. It is absurd to talk about cost consciousness among those who have to rely on support from private organizations every time they start to feel sick, and who give up treatment when this fails.
Medical benefit recipients are already afraid of next year. Mr. Lee dismissed the Ministry of Health and Welfare’s attempt to reform the fixed-rate system by saying, “You should not go to the hospital,” but this does not only include concerns about increased costs. It is a protest against the government’s view of viewing medical benefit recipients as ‘a lump of cost’ and trying to control them. The Ministry of Health and Welfare, which treated the poor as a burden, should withdraw its plan to reform the fixed rate system and apologize.
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Jo Jang-wook, homeless activist
![[기고]Medical benefit recipients fearful of next year – Kyunghyang Shinmun](https://morganmadeleine.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/Wedding-detail-photos.jpg "[기고]Medical benefit recipients fearful of next year – Kyunghyang Shinmun")
**How might the proposed fixed-rate system impact the ability of homeless individuals to access crucial medical care, given the barriers they already face, as described by Mr. Jo?**
## Interview: The Human Cost of Healthcare Reform
**Guests:**
* **Jo Jung-wook:** Homeless activist, featured in the article.
* **Dr. Lee Min-seo:** Healthcare Policy Expert, specializing in accessibility and equity in healthcare
**Moderator:** Welcome to World Today News. Today, we’re delving into the concerns surrounding the proposed fixed-rate system reform for medical benefits, focusing on the experiences of vulnerable populations. Joining us are Jo Jung-wook, a homeless activist who firsthand witnesses the challenges faced by those relying on medical benefit, and Dr. Lee Min-seo, a healthcare policy expert with a focus on accessibility and equity.
—
**Section 1: Experiences on the Ground**
**Moderator:** Jo Jung-wook, your article paints a compelling picture of the difficulties faced by individuals needing healthcare while navigating the current system. Could you elaborate on the unique challenges people experiencing homelessness encounter when seeking medical care? How might these be amplified by the proposed fixed-rate system reform?
**Jo Jung-wook:** (Sharing personal anecdotes and insights from his work)
**Moderator:** Dr. Lee, how common are the experiences described by Mr. Jo in the wider context of medical benefit recipients?
**Dr. Lee:** (Providing expert analysis and statistical context)
**Section 2: Understanding “Appropriate Use of Medical Care”**
**Moderator:** The Ministry of Health and Welfare argues that the fixed-rate system encourages “appropriate use of medical care.” What are your thoughts on this framing, Mr. Jo?
**Jo Jung-wook:** (Expressing concerns about the language used and its impact on vulnerable populations)
**Moderator:** Dr. Lee, how can we achieve a balance between ensuring access to care and managing healthcare costs?
**Dr. Lee:** (Discussing alternative approaches to cost control that prioritize accessibility and patient needs)
**Section 3: Cost Consciousness and the Reality of Financial Strain**
**Moderator:** The article highlights instances where individuals deplete their living allowances and even rely on external organizations to afford necessary medical care. Mr. Jo, can you speak to the financial strain faced by those on medical benefits and how this reform might exacerbate the situation?
**Jo Jung-wook:** (Sharing personal stories and highlighting the systemic issues contributing to financial hardship)
**Moderator:** Dr. Lee, what measures could be implemented to address the financial barriers faced by vulnerable patients while ensuring equitable access to healthcare?
**Dr. Lee:** (Discussing policy solutions and innovative financing models)
**Section 4: Looking Forward: A Call for Empathy and Equity**
**Moderator:** what is your message to the Ministry of Health and Welfare, Mr. Jo?
**Jo Jung-wook:** (Calling for a more humane and compassionate approach to healthcare reform that considers the lived realities of those most affected)
**Moderator:** Dr. Lee, what are your hopes for the future of healthcare access and equity in our society?
**Dr. Lee:** (Expressing optimism and outlining a vision for a more just and accessible healthcare system)
**Moderator:** Thank you both for sharing your invaluable insights. This conversation highlights the critical need for dialog and collaboration in shaping healthcare policies that truly serve the needs of all citizens.
