President Lee: 'Hair Loss Is a Matter of Survival'... Government Considers Youth Hair Loss Voucher After His Remarks

[The Financial News] The government is reportedly considering a plan to provide a 'Youth Voucher' that young National Health Insurance Service (NHIS) subscribers can use for hair loss treatment.
On the 2nd, JoongAng Ilbo reported that the Ministry of Health and Welfare is reviewing a plan to offer vouchers to people in their 20s and 30s, who rarely use medical services, which could be used at medical institutions and pharmacies for non-covered treatments such as hair loss therapy.

A government official told JoongAng Ilbo, "The Youth Voucher pilot project is likely to support hair loss treatment and may later expand in terms of age range or amount."
The Youth Voucher is a pilot program included in the second Comprehensive National Health Insurance Service (NHIS) Plan (2024–2028) announced by the Ministry of Health and Welfare in 2024. At that time, the ministry provided vouchers worth 10% of the previous year's insurance premiums (up to 120,000 won) to those aged 20 to 34 who used medical services less than four times a year (once per quarter).
Initially, the voucher was designed to be used only for the prevention and management of chronic diseases at medical institutions and pharmacies. However, the government now appears to be expanding its use to include hair loss treatment as planned.
This move by the government seems to be a follow-up to President Lee Jae-myung’s request during the Ministry of Health and Welfare’s briefing on December 16 to consider including hair loss treatments under health insurance coverage.
President Lee also emphasized, "Young people feel left out, saying, 'We pay premiums but receive no benefits. Why aren’t we being helped when it’s so urgent?'" Supporting hair loss treatment was one of President Lee’s campaign pledges during the 20th presidential election.
Afterward, there was backlash regarding the financial burden on the National Health Insurance Service (NHIS) and the prioritization of medical services.
The Korean Medical Association (KMA) opposed the plan, stating that coverage for serious illnesses should come first, while the People Power Party criticized it as 'hair populism.'
y27k@fnnews.com Seo Yoon-kyung Reporter