History of the National Health Insurance Cost for Radiological Examinations and Value of the Radiological Report Fee

ABSTRACT

Advancements of medical care with the use of new medical technologies have been promoting public health, but they can also place a financial burden on individuals and the country. Since the introduction of the health insurance system in 1977, the South Korean government has been attempting to control medical expenses. Radiological examinations have been a major target for cost reduction. Meanwhile, the radiological report fee has been combined with the technical fee for a long time; hence, its value has not been independently evaluated, and was also decreased proportionally with examination cost reduction. However, in the revised medical fee estimation system for MRI, the report fee has begun to be calculated separately from the technical fee, significantly contributing to the evaluation of the radiologists' work value. In conclusion, radiologists need to know and actively participate in the process of determining the insurance cost of radiological examinations and reports to get a proper value of their professionalism.