France has decided to apply national health insurance coverage to obesity treatments Wegovy and Mounjaro. The move treats obesity as a disease requiring medical care rather than a simple matter of body shape, with the state stepping in to share the cost. Critics point out that Korea, by contrast, remains stuck in a non-reimbursement-centered system.
According to Euronews on Wednesday (local time), the French government announced through the official gazette the previous day that starting next month, it will cover 65 percent of the cost of Wegovy and Mounjaro prescriptions for some patients with severe obesity through national health insurance. It is the first case among European Union member states to apply insurance coverage to obesity drugs.
The coverage applies to patients with morbid obesity, defined as a body mass index (BMI) of 40 kg/㎡ or higher, and patients with severe obesity with a BMI of 35 kg/㎡ or higher. The drugs can only be used in a limited manner — not for simple weight loss, but for cases where a low-calorie diet and exercise therapy have proven ineffective.
French health authorities also limited prescribing authority in consideration of the financial burden. Only doctors affiliated with specialized medical institutions, such as university hospitals or obesity specialty centers, are permitted to issue initial prescriptions. The government estimates the potential eligible population at up to 2 million people.
French Health Minister Stéphanie Rist explained in a broadcast interview, "The expansion of insurance coverage could require hundreds of millions of euros in annual spending," adding, "Once prescriptions are fully expanded, costs of around 100 million euros (approximately 175 billion won) per year will be incurred."
The pharmaceutical industry, which leads the global obesity treatment market, welcomed the decision. Denmark's Novo Nordisk, the maker of Wegovy, stressed that "France has become the first EU country to apply insurance coverage to obesity treatments." Eli Lilly of the United States, which manufactures Mounjaro, also called it "an important turning point for patients who have long awaited access to treatment."
In Korea, by contrast, related discussions have struggled to gain momentum. The government has maintained a stance of conducting only general-level reviews regarding the possibility of insurance reimbursement for obesity drugs. Industry observers point out that the threshold for reimbursement is high, given the heavy financial burden on health insurance finances and the entangled possibility of cosmetic-purpose use.
The cost burden on Korean consumers is substantial. While prices vary by hospital, clinic and pharmacy, Wegovy is reportedly priced at 300,000 to 400,000 won per month depending on the dose, and Mounjaro at 400,000 to 500,000 won. Given that the treatment requires long-term administration, patients must shoulder considerable monthly costs.
Compared with major countries overseas, Korean prices are also viewed as relatively high. In China, the drugs are supplied at relatively low prices, while Japan has significantly reduced patient burden through partial insurance coverage. As a result, complaints have continued among online communities and patients in Korea that "only Korea has effectively poor access to treatment."
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