"Patients Excluded from Compensation Due to Insufficient Evidence of Causality"
[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Ji-hee] The government is set to provide comprehensive compensation for severe patients who experience adverse reactions after receiving the COVID-19 vaccine. Initially, the government only compensated cases where a causal relationship between vaccination and adverse reactions was recognized, but it has shifted its support policy to increase vaccination rates.
On the 10th, the COVID-19 Vaccination Response Promotion Team announced the temporary establishment of a medical expense support program for severe patients who experienced adverse reactions after COVID-19 vaccination but were excluded from compensation due to insufficient evidence of causality. At a briefing that day, Team Leader Jung Eun-kyung stated, "This measure is implemented to protect severe patients who experienced adverse reactions after COVID-19 vaccination, despite insufficient evidence to confirm causality between the vaccine and the adverse reactions, and to strengthen the state's responsibility for COVID-19 vaccination adverse reactions."
Specifically, the support targets patients who were admitted to intensive care units or suffered equivalent illnesses after COVID-19 vaccination but were excluded from compensation because the Damage Investigation Team or the Damage Compensation Expert Committee found insufficient evidence to recognize causality. However, cases where the cause is clearly due to reasons other than the vaccine or where causality is evidently absent are not eligible. According to the Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasures Headquarters, there are currently five eligible recipients under this criterion.
If recognized as eligible, support will be provided up to a limit of 10 million KRW per person. The support covers medical expenses for diseases occurring after COVID-19 vaccination, excluding treatment costs for pre-existing conditions, nursing care fees, and funeral expenses. If causality is later confirmed based on evidence, compensation will be provided, and the initially supported medical expenses will be settled accordingly.
Team Leader Jung explained, "Currently, most medical expenses for severe cases are supported by health insurance, and even if out-of-pocket expenses increase significantly, there is a system called the out-of-pocket expense ceiling, which reimburses patients for amounts exceeding a certain limit through health insurance. Taking into account emergency welfare medical support, we set the upper limit at an amount sufficient to help cover initial out-of-pocket medical expenses for patients admitted to intensive care or in severe condition."
Meanwhile, this measure will be implemented starting from the 17th after a preparation period including training for local government officials. It will also be applied retroactively to those vaccinated before the program's start date.
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