Manual Therapy Price Set in the 40,000 Won Range... Annual Sessions Limited to 15

HIPRC Incorporates Manual Therapy Into Managed Benefit, Patients to Pay 95% Out-of-Pocket
Up to 24 Sessions Allowed Only for Joint Contracture or Stiffness Due to Surgery or Fracture

The price of manual therapy, which has been cited as a primary cause of overtreatment and losses in indemnity health insurance, will be reduced to 43,850 won per session (for sessions lasting 30 minutes or more) starting July 1. The number of sessions will also be limited to twice a week, with a maximum of 24 sessions per year.

On June 4, the Ministry of Health and Welfare, presided over by Second Vice Minister Lee Hyung-hoon, held the "10th Health Insurance Policy Review Committee (HIPRC) of 2026" and deliberated and approved the "Manual Therapy Managed Benefit Fee and Coverage Standards" containing these measures.

As part of the "Second Phase Medical Reform Implementation Plan" announced in December last year to reduce the burden of medical expenses on the public, the government incorporated manual therapy into the "managed benefit" category under selective health insurance coverage. Managed benefit is a hybrid form in which health insurance is partially applied and the rest is paid out of pocket by the patient. Under this system, the government sets the price, but patients pay 95% of the cost, while health insurance covers the remaining 5%.

Until now, manual therapy prices have varied widely between medical institutions, raising concerns about misuse and abuse. In this latest HIPRC meeting, the price per session was set at 43,850 won, based on considerations such as the prices of similar health insurance services, market prices, and the required time. This price applies uniformly to all medical institutions, regardless of hospital type. As a result, the actual amount patients will pay per session is 41,658 won. Given that the nationwide median price for manual therapy last year (according to the National Health Insurance Service's non-reimbursed information portal) was in the 100,000 won range, the cost will now be more than halved. If a patient has an existing indemnity health insurance policy that covers manual therapy, most of this expense (80–100%) can be reimbursed.

The government has decided to limit not only the price but also the number of manual therapy sessions. To protect patients' right to treatment while preventing excessive use, in principle, only up to two sessions per week and a total of 15 sessions per year are permitted. However, for cases with clear medical findings of joint contracture or stiffness due to surgery or fracture, based on a doctor's medical judgment, an exception allows up to 24 sessions per year. Each session of manual therapy must last at least 30 minutes.

Before providing manual therapy, medical institutions must first administer basic physical therapy or simple rehabilitation therapy. Manual therapy cannot be billed together with other physical therapy procedures. Medical institutions are also required to submit relevant treatment information to the Health Insurance Review and Assessment Service through the manual therapy management system when manual therapy is performed.

The Ministry of Health and Welfare will re-evaluate the reimbursement criteria for manual therapy every three years, and plans to establish detailed standards according to the evaluation cycle in the future. In particular, the government aims to gradually strengthen the management system for non-reimbursed treatments, starting with manual therapy, to minimize the public's medical expenses.

The medical community, particularly among private clinics, is concerned that these measures may limit patients' access to treatment. The Korean Medical Association criticized, "Manual therapy is a field that requires skilled professionals and sufficient treatment time, but if a fee schedule that does not even cover costs is imposed, it will be impossible for medical institutions to provide proper care."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.