Complaint filed against doctors over fee system

By Yi Whan-woo

Civic groups advocating patients’ rights filed a complaint against doctors Thursday for refusing to perform some operations to protest against a government plan to implement a new medical fee system on July 1.

The Citizens’ Coalition for Economic Justice and six other groups said in a statement that they filed the complaint with the Fair Trade Commission, claiming the doctors are violating the fair trade rules through collective action.

“We ask the commission to conduct a thorough investigation into doctors to stop them from behaving illegally immediately,” the statement read.

The Korean Medical Association (KMA) and doctors from four medical service fields ― ophthalmology, obstetrics, otolaryngology, and orthopedics _ have threatened to boycott operations, protesting the implementation of the diagnosis-related group (DRG) payment system.

The DRG system will be applied to seven medical services ― cataract surgery, tonsil replacement, appendix removal, hernia and hemorrhoid repairs, uterine surgery and cesarean sections ― at clinics and smaller hospitals. It will allow patients to pay fixed prices for the seven operations.

The KMA is opposing the new system, fearing a cut in doctors’ income.