Support for Pregnancy and Childbirth Medical Expenses Up to 1.4 Million KRW... Extension of Period and Coverage

Ministry of Health and Welfare CI (Photo by Ministry of Health and Welfare)

[Asia Economy Reporter Lee Chun-hee] Support for pregnancy and childbirth medical expenses through the National Health Insurance will increase up to 1.4 million KRW. The usage period and support items will also be expanded to 2 years and all medical expenses and medication costs, respectively.

The Ministry of Health and Welfare announced on the 22nd that the partial amendment to the Enforcement Decree of the National Health Insurance Act containing these details was approved at the Cabinet meeting on the same day.

This amendment was prepared to expand health insurance support for pregnancy and childbirth medical expenses according to the '4th Basic Plan for Low Fertility and Aging Society' and to stipulate the detailed matters necessary for the enforcement of the amended National Health Insurance Act, which will take effect from the 30th.

According to the amendment to the Enforcement Decree, starting from January next year, when applying for health insurance support for pregnancy and childbirth medical expenses, the support amount will increase by 400,000 KRW for both single-child pregnancies from 600,000 KRW to 1,000,000 KRW, and for multiple pregnancies such as twins from 1,000,000 KRW to 1,400,000 KRW. Additionally, the usage period will be extended to 2 years after childbirth (including miscarriage and stillbirth), and the support items will be expanded from medical expenses and medication/treatment material purchase costs related to pregnancy and childbirth to all medical expenses and medication/treatment material purchase costs.

Along with this, the new amendment to the Enforcement Decree includes provisions granting the authority to process personal information of insured persons and dependents necessary for quasi-medical institutions and disability assistive device sellers to claim nursing expenses and disability assistive device insurance benefits on behalf of insured persons or their dependents. Furthermore, detailed standards for rewarding whistleblowers to prevent fraudulent claims during the benefit processing are also established.

In addition, the amendment reflects the revision of the Medical Service Act, which separates psychiatric hospitals from convalescent hospitals and regulates them as a distinct type of hospital-level medical institution, and revises related regulations accordingly.

The expanded support provisions for pregnancy and childbirth medical expenses in the new Enforcement Decree amendment will take effect from January next year, while other provisions will be applied from the 30th.

Lee Jung-gyu, Director of the Insurance Benefits Division at the Ministry of Health and Welfare, said, "We hope this amendment to the Enforcement Decree will serve as an opportunity to realize inclusive medical welfare for pregnant women and infants, and to enhance the financial soundness of health insurance and convenience for beneficiaries."