Measures urged over ever-increasing medication expenses

Medication costs are a main cause of deficits in the state-run health insurance scheme.

A lawmaker on Tuesday called for steps to bring down spending on medicines.

Drug expenses made up over 35.3 percent of the country’s total medical expense amounting to 46 trillion won last year, compared to 26.85 percent in 2000, said Rep. Lee Mok-hee of the main opposition Democratic United Party at a...