Personnel Administration Office Announces Measures to Realize Caregiving and Medical Expenses
Expansion of Support for Injury in Dangerous Duties Such as Criminal Arrest
Increase in Medical Expense Caps... Support for Robot Surgery Costs Included
The daily nursing care fee for public officials injured while performing dangerous duties such as fire suppression and apprehending criminals to protect the lives and safety of the public will be significantly increased by 124%, from the existing 67,000 won to 150,000 won.
On the 15th, the Ministry of Personnel Management announced the "Plan to Realize Nursing Care and Medical Expenses for Injured Public Officials," stating that nursing care expenses for public officials injured while performing hazardous duties will be fully reimbursed up to 150,000 won per day, and the upper limit for medical expenses will also be raised to the average price of medical institutions nationwide.
This is a follow-up measure in response to President Yoon Seok-yeol's directive last December to promptly revise related systems and regulations to ensure sufficient support for treatment and nursing care expenses for injuries sustained while performing official duties to protect the lives and safety of the public. The Ministry of Personnel Management held more than ten meetings with injured public officials and consulted experts during this process.
Accordingly, medical expenses for public officials who have been injured or fallen ill while performing their duties despite the risks will be increased. Currently, the nursing care fee standards set in 2009 are still applied, with a maximum of 67,140 won per day for nursing care grade 1. However, if a professional caregiver is hired, full reimbursement will be provided within the daily cap of 150,000 won regardless of the nursing care grade.
Nursing care grade 1 refers to a condition where the individual cannot change their position by themselves due to brain damage or paralysis of limbs and always requires assistance from others. Currently, support is differentiated into three grades based on the patient's condition and ability to perform daily activities, but this measure reflects the reality that nursing care fees on site are not set by grade.
Medical expenses will also be increased to the average price of medical institutions nationwide for items recognized as covered medical expenses for injured public officials but currently priced below the national average. Rehabilitation treatment fees, such as manual therapy, will also be raised to the average price of medical institutions nationwide within the scope of medically recognized effectiveness.
The average price of medical institutions nationwide is based on the publicly announced prices by the Health Insurance Review and Assessment Service according to the "Standards for Reporting and Disclosure of Non-Covered Medical Expenses" (Ministry of Health and Welfare Notice). Additionally, six items that were not previously recognized as covered medical expenses but have high claim frequency or medical validity (▲non-invasive painless signal therapy ▲plantar pressure measurement ▲heart rate variability test ▲modified albumin test ▲arteriosclerosis test ▲amyloid A (A) test) will be added as covered items and supported at the average price of medical institutions nationwide.
In particular, even if approval for official medical treatment has already been granted, nursing care and medical expenses will be increased for the treatment period after the implementation of the measures, based on whether the duty was hazardous. If the individual is hospitalized, the increased fees will be applied retroactively from the start date of the current hospitalization period.
Furthermore, for robotic surgery, which currently receives no support, the plan is to provide coverage equivalent to conventional surgical treatment items such as open surgery. If robotic prosthetics or orthotics are specially required for the return to duty of injured public officials, full reimbursement will be provided after review by the Public Officials' Injury Compensation Review Board. These improvements related to robotic surgery and robotic prosthetics/orthotics will apply regardless of whether the injury occurred during hazardous duties.
To implement these improvements, the Ministry of Personnel Management will revise the "Special Medical Expense Calculation Standards (Ministry of Personnel Management Notice)" and update related IT systems.
At the briefing, Kim Seung-ho, head of the Ministry of Personnel Management, said, "We have prepared improvement measures reflecting the voices from the field, including meetings with injured public officials, to fulfill the state's responsibility to those who have dedicated themselves to the nation and its people. We plan to swiftly ensure that the necessary compensation for injured public officials will be provided starting from the end of March."
© The Asia Business Daily(www.asiae.co.kr). All rights reserved.
