Does a Skin Clinic Consultation in Seoul Cost Money?

A clinic must tell you in advance which items carry a charge, and it cannot bill you more than the amount it disclosed.

I am Dr. Kim Yeonjin, director of the Gangnam branch of UH CELL Clinic.

What Korean Law Requires a Clinic to Disclose

Article 45 of the Medical Service Act requires a clinic operator to disclose non-covered treatment costs in a way patients can easily understand, and it prohibits collecting more than the amount disclosed. A 2020 revision to Article 42-2 of the Enforcement Rule added a further step: for non-covered items designated by the Ministry of Health and Welfare's public notice, the clinic must explain the item and its price directly to the patient or guardian before treatment begins, not simply post a price list at the counter. The Constitutional Court of Korea reviewed this explanation duty and upheld it in a decision issued February 23, 2023, in case 2021Hun-Ma93.

For a patient sitting across from a doctor, what this rule actually gives you is a plain, usable right. You can ask, before the conversation starts, whether anything discussed today will cost money, and the clinic has an obligation to answer.

How We Handle This at the Gangnam Branch

Japanese-, Chinese-, and English-speaking staff are on hand at the Gangnam branch, so international patients are not routed through an outside interpreter mid-consultation. The consultation room sits inside the UH FLAT SIGNATURE Gangnam building, the same building where the branch operates.

FAQ

Can I have just a consultation and decide on treatment later?

Yes.

Can I find out in advance whether a consultation fee will apply?

Yes.