As hospital access has improved and medical technology has advanced, we can now receive medical care more conveniently. However, behind this convenience lurks the shadow of , which recommends unnecessary tests or procedures. This not only imposes a financial burden on patients but sometimes also causes unnecessary pain or side effects. Especially in 2026, with various institutional changes announced to prevent over-treatment, smart coping strategies from patients have become even more crucial. Let’s delve into why over-treatment persists and how we can protect ourselves.
Why Does Over-treatment Persist?
Over-treatment refers to the practice of performing unnecessary or excessive tests and treatments without medical justification. There are complex reasons for the prevalence of such practices. Firstly, South Korea adopts a fee-for-service system, where medical institutions’ profits increase as they perform more treatments. The information asymmetry between doctors and patients also plays a significant role. Patients lack professional knowledge about their illness and treatment methods, making it difficult to easily refuse a doctor’s recommendations. Furthermore, as the subscription rate for private health insurance has increased, reducing patients’ medical expenses, some medical institutions tend to excessively recommend non-covered treatments. In addition, concerns about medical disputes lead doctors to practice defensive medicine, and patients’ demands for excessive treatment are also cited as factors promoting over-treatment.
2026: Changing Over-treatment Regulations and Cases
The government is strengthening various regulations from 2026 to address the issue of over-treatment. In particular, the standards for non-covered treatments frequently performed for musculoskeletal disorders are becoming stricter.
- Extracorporeal Shockwave Therapy (ESWT) Restrictions: From July 2026, ESWT is recommended for a maximum of 6 sessions per identical site and 12 sessions per year. If these limits are exceeded, private health insurance coverage may be restricted. Furthermore, patients must be informed in advance that private health insurance coverage may be limited when treating conditions other than the 7 major indications, such as shoulder, elbow, and hip joints.
- Manual Therapy Transition to Managed Benefit: Also from July, manual therapy will transition to a ‘managed benefit’ item, applying a fixed fee of approximately 40,000 won per session, with an annual limit of 15 sessions (24 sessions in cases of high medical necessity, such as surgery).
- Government’s Intensive Crackdown: The Ministry of Health and Welfare has been operating a since June 15th, intensively cracking down on unfair medical practices such as excessive prescription of narcotics and psychotropic drugs without medical justification, and inducing hospitalization under conditions of ineffective injection administration. Furthermore, rewards of up to 3 billion won will be paid for reporting illegal kickbacks or expensive non-covered treatments lacking sufficient medical evidence.
- Delay in Automobile Insurance ‘8-week Rule’ Introduction: The introduction of the ‘8-week rule’ to prevent over-treatment for minor injuries in automobile accidents is still delayed, leading to continued unnecessary long-term treatment and insurance leakage.
3 Ways Smart Patients Can Avoid Over-treatment
Just as important as the efforts of medical institutions and the strengthening of government regulations is the patient’s own wise approach to over-treatment. Remember these three methods:
- Make ‘Ask and Ask Again’ a Habit: When a doctor recommends a specific test or treatment, you should actively ask about its necessity, effectiveness, side effects, alternative treatments, and estimated costs. Recording the details of the consultation is also a good idea in case of unforeseen circumstances.
- Seek a Second Opinion: When advised on a significant diagnosis or expensive non-covered treatment, it is wise to from a specialist at another medical institution. This greatly helps avoid over-treatment and find the most suitable treatment for you.
- Be Cautious in Choosing Medical Institutions: It is forbidden to blindly trust a specific hospital simply because it has many patients or low treatment costs. Be wary of places that induce excessive discount events or unnecessary package treatments. You should choose a trustworthy medical institution by comprehensively considering its reputation, the professionalism of the medical staff, and the rationality of the treatment plan.
Over-treatment is a problem that burdens not only individual health and finances but also the entire healthcare system. While efforts from the government and the medical community continue, patients also need to proactively protect their health. Just as you become a smart consumer, become a smart patient and make rational medical choices.