Background

With the announcement of the health insurance coverage reinforcement policy in August 2017, the Ministry of Health and Welfare suggested the policy direction of using health technology reassessment to promote the widespread use of safe, valid, and cost-effective health technologies by the public.

A preliminary benefits policy, in which benefits for health technologies that have a medical necessity but are not cost-effective are determined by health technology reassessment after 3-5 years of use, was suggested. This proposal also underscores the need to prepare additional management mechanisms for conducting reassessments of existing health technologies that are covered but may have safety or efficacy issues.

Korea has no management mechanism for health technologies after they enter the healthcare market and are in use. Therefore, it is urgent to prepare a health technology reassessment system to manage the whole cycle of health technologies within the framework of the Medical Service Act, to support decision-making regarding the suitability of health insurance benefits according to the newly reorganized health technology reassessment system, and to develop measures to build accompanying infrastructure for health technology reassessment.

Objective

The purpose of this research is to establish a system for managing the whole cycle of health technologies and to prepare operational measures to promote the efficient use of healthcare resources. Specifically, this study aims to propose a detailed implementation process and practical operational methods for health technology reassessment implemented by the National Evidence-based Healthcare Collaborating Agency (NECA), and to suggest measures for constructing an information system and legal framework for health technology reassessment in order to provide support for policy decision-making within the healthcare system.