Rumor: Chief Yang as new Pharmaceutical Benefits Director

MOHW to announce new appointment this week, new director to orchestrate pricing system revision

Apparently, a rumor is circulating about the new director of Pharmaceutical Benefits Division at Ministry of Health and Welfare (MOHW), who would lead the Moon Jae-in Care-initiated drug pricing system revision.

 

According to pharmaceutical industry sources on Mar.

 

31, Chief Yang Yoon Seok of Smart Healthcare Regulation Revision Planning Team (Graduated from Department of Consumer Science and Child Development Family Studies at Seoul National University) is speculated as a new director of Pharmaceutical Benefits Division and take over the major tasks on MOHW’s pharmaceutical insurance benefit policies.

 

Within the welfare sector of the ministry, Chief Yang used to serve at Aging Society Policy Division and Division of Basic Livelihood Security, and in the health sector, he served at Healthcare Policy Division and as a Chief of Primary Healthcare Improvement Team.

 

In 2014, he participated in talks between the government and medical organization about remote medicine.

 

Then after, he has served as an Administrator of Health and Welfare at the Cheong Wae Dae and a Director of National Pension Finance Division back in MOHW.

 

Even a month after former Director of Pharmaceutical Benefits Division, Kwak Myeong-seop, was transferred in February, the position is still vacant and the division is proceeding with the pharmaceutical policies slowly, but steadily.

 

Although Lee Seon-joo has been newly appointed as a Senior Deputy Director, she was temporarily transferred to COVID-19 response team.

 

Concerns of overloaded work on two deputy directors of the division have been raised internally and externally, but the industry is patiently waiting for the MOHW’s regular personnel changes to be announced amid the outbreak.

 

The government is committed to base the groundbreaking coverage enhancement initiative Moon Care to provide better accessibility on high-cost drugs and to manage listed drugs.

 

Accordingly, the industry expects an official willing to firmly press on with the policy projects would be appointed.

 

And considering all planned initiatives, MOHW has internally agreed on selecting a well-experienced director from other division as the next Director of Pharmaceutical Benefits Division.

 

In other words, the ministry would not gamble on promoting an inexperienced official as the new director.

 

MOHW would likely to finalize the new Director of Pharmaceutical Benefits Division and announce the successor this week at earliest.

 

Meanwhile, former Director Kwak Myeong-seop was dispatched to the South Korea Consulate in Guangzhou, China.