Korea’s hair-loss insurance proposal sparks backlash

South Korea is weighing whether to extend national health insurance coverage to common hair-loss treatments, a proposal that has sparked growing backlash from doctors and patient advocacy groups.

The debate centers on whether male-pattern hair loss, a common form of androgenetic alopecia, should be covered by the country’s public health insurance system, which is designed to prioritize medically necessary treatment.

Health and Welfare Minister Jung Eun-kyeong recently named expanded insurance co ...