A government program that supports medical expenses that are difficult for patients to bear is gradually expanding.
The Ministry of Health and Welfare and the National Health Insurance Corporation noted on the 21st that the number of cases supported by the 'Disaster Medical Expense Support Program' last year reached 50,735, the highest ever recorded.
The Disaster Medical Expense Support Program is designed to assist with 'disaster medical expenses' that place an excessive burden compared to household income. It began in earnest in 2018 and supports up to 80% of medical expenses.
When the program first started in 2018, it supported all diseases for hospitalizations and focused on severe illnesses for outpatient services. Starting in 2023, support has been expanded to cover all diseases for both hospitalizations and outpatient services, and the asset criteria have been relaxed.
According to improvements in the system, the number of disaster medical expense support cases executed last year reached the highest ever. The support amount also increased to 158.2 billion won, marking a 56.6% increase compared to the previous year, the largest on record. The average amount of support per case increased slightly to 3.12 million won from 3.01 million won the previous year.
The government has allocated 142.4 billion won for the disaster medical expense support program this year and will strengthen its role as a medical safety net.
Kwon Byeong-gi, the essential medical support officer at the Ministry of Welfare, said, "The goal of the program is to protect citizens who are experiencing economic difficulties due to excessive medical expenses," and added, "We will continue efforts, such as improving the system, to prevent any blind spots from occurring."