Pyeongtaek City Expands Medical Expense Support for 'Type 1 Diabetes'

Change in Support Amount for Under 19, Integration of Support Amounts by Device
Extension of Billing Period... To Be Retroactively Applied from January 1 This Year

Pyeongtaek City in Gyeonggi Province announced on the 25th that it will expand support for 'medical expenses for Type 1 diabetes patients.'

'Type 1 diabetes' is a metabolic disease caused by the destruction of beta cells, resulting in the inability to produce insulin in the body, requiring lifelong continuous management such as automatic insulin infusion. There are about 36,000 Type 1 diabetes patients nationwide, and the city explained that about 770 of them reside in Pyeongtaek.

Pyeongtaek City is the first local government in Gyeonggi Province to provide medical expense support for Type 1 diabetes patients starting this year.

The city decided to expand support, especially to alleviate the economic burden on patients and their families, and to apply it retroactively from January 1 of this year. The expanded support includes ▶ changes in support amounts for those under 19 years old (covering two-thirds of the 10% co-payment, up to 420,000 KRW) ▶ integration of upper limits for purchases of blood glucose sensors, continuous glucose monitors, and automatic insulin infusion devices ▶ extension of the claim period to within 5 years from the date of product purchase.

The support amount is 1,240,000 KRW (420,000 KRW for children), and the eligibility criteria include Type 1 diabetes patients (diagnosis code E10, diagnosis name insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus) who have been registered residents and actually residing in Pyeongtaek for more than six months as of the application date. Applicants must meet the income requirement of less than 100% of the median income (this year’s standard for a family of four: 205,281 KRW for workplace insurance, 156,318 KRW for regional insurance, 208,153 KRW for mixed insurance) and support is provided once per person for life. However, those who are exempt from co-payment or are 100% covered by medical aid are excluded from support.

Eligible applicants should prepare ▲ medical expense payment application form ▲ prescriptions and purchase receipts for diabetes management devices and consumable materials for diabetes patients ▲ identification card ▲ resident registration certificate ▲ bankbook copy, and apply to the chronic disease team at the relevant public health center. For more details, inquiries can be made to Pyeongtaek Public Health Center, Songtan Public Health Center, or Anjung Public Health Subcenter.