The Korean health authority issuing a statement on reducing choline alfoscerate coverage is just a beginning.

On June 11, Health Insurance Review and Assessment Service (HIRA) Drug Reimbursement Evaluation Committee (DREC) announced the decision to raise the patient copayment rate on choline alfoscerate, which has been covered by the National Health Insurance so far, from 30 percent to 80 percent for the effect and benefit of treating neurometabolic disease, emotional and behavioral change, and senile pseudo-depression.

Increasing the copayment rate means the authority is to narrow the coverage on the drug. The selective reimbursement on the drug would impose 80 percent of copayment ra