Gyeonggi-do Provides Medical Expense Support Even If Infertility Treatments Are Discontinued...Nation's First

Gyeonggi Province will become the first in the nation to provide medical expense support even if infertility treatments are discontinued, starting May 1. One infertile woman can receive medical expense benefits of 500,000 KRW per session without any limit on the number of times, a case where a proposal from last year’s Gyeonggi Population Talk Committee was officially adopted as policy.

Gyeonggi Province currently supports in vitro fertilization and artificial insemination treatment costs through the existing ‘Infertile Couples Treatment Expense Support Project’ targeting infertile households.

The province has independently expanded support by abolishing income criteria in July last year, removing residency requirements in January this year, and increasing the maximum number of supported treatments to 25 in February.

The problem was that when treatments were discontinued due to medical reasons such as empty follicles, the number of treatments covered by health insurance was not deducted, so support could not be provided according to government guidelines. This caused a double burden of psychological distress from treatment discontinuation and economic hardship due to exclusion from treatment cost support.

To resolve this issue, Gyeonggi Province has allocated a total project budget of 2.8 billion KRW to implement the ‘Medical Expense Support Project for Discontinued Infertility Treatments,’ the first of its kind among local governments.

Poster for Gyeonggi-do Medical Expense Support Project for Discontinuation of Infertility Treatment

The support targets infertile households residing in Gyeonggi Province who have received a ‘Notice of Decision for Infertile Couples Treatment Expense Support’ from their local public health center and started treatment but discontinued it due to medical reasons (such as empty follicles, poor ovarian response, premature ovulation, poor endometrium) and are thus excluded from the ‘Infertile Couples Treatment Expense Support Project.’ Those who discontinued treatment for personal reasons are not eligible for support.

Medical expenses up to 500,000 KRW per session (90% of the total out-of-pocket expenses, including some non-covered costs and medication fees) will be supported without any limit on the number of times. Consultations and support applications can be made at the public health center with jurisdiction over the applicant’s residence (female basis).

Yoo Young-cheol, Director of the Gyeonggi Province Health and Wellness Bureau, stated, "We expect that the existing ‘Infertile Couples Treatment Expense Support Project’ and the ‘Medical Expense Support Project for Discontinued Infertility Treatments’ to be implemented from May will eliminate blind spots in infertility support."

Meanwhile, Gyeonggi Province is launching the ‘Love I Project’ to establish population and low birthrate policies that residents can feel. The medical expense support for discontinued infertility treatments is part of the ‘Love I Project.’ ‘Love I’ is a double entendre meaning love for myself (I) and the baby (Baby), serving as the brand for Gyeonggi Province’s low birthrate policy.