Gyeonggi-do Expands Support for Infertility Treatment Costs and Medical Expenses for Involuntary Treatment Discontinuation
Up to 1.1 Million KRW Medical Expense Support for Involuntary Discontinuation During Infertility Treatment
Gyeonggi Province will expand support for infertility treatment costs from 25 times per infertile couple to 25 times per birth starting this month. Additionally, if infertility treatment is involuntarily discontinued, medical expenses of up to 1.1 million KRW can be supported.
Gyeonggi Province announced on the 4th an expansion plan for infertility treatment cost support to overcome the low birthrate crisis.
When the treatment support, previously limited to a total of 25 times per infertile couple, is increased to 25 times per birth, couples who have used up to 25 treatments for their first child through infertility treatment can receive 25 treatments for each subsequent second or third child.
Furthermore, starting this May, the province has been the first nationwide to support medical expenses of 500,000 KRW per case without limit on the number of times, even if infertility treatment is discontinued. From November, if infertility treatment is involuntarily discontinued due to medical reasons or other unavoidable causes, medical expenses of up to 1.1 million KRW can be supported.
The 1.1 million KRW support consists of the existing maximum of 500,000 KRW per case plus an additional maximum of 600,000 KRW (90% of the out-of-pocket expenses). Consultations and support applications can be made at the health center in the jurisdiction of the applicant's residence (for women).
As part of its low birthrate countermeasures, the province supports in vitro fertilization and artificial insemination costs through the ‘Infertile Couple Treatment Cost Support Project.’ The province also independently abolished the residency requirement in January this year, following the income criteria removal in July last year. In February, the number of supported treatments was expanded to a maximum of 25 times, and in June, age-based differential support was abolished, continuously broadening the scope of support.
In 2023, the number of births in Gyeonggi Province benefiting from the infertile couple treatment cost support project was 7,751, and including multiple births such as twins, 9,075 babies were born. This accounts for 12.9% of the total births in Gyeonggi Province in 2023 (70,541 births), meaning that approximately 1 in every 7.7 births was through infertility treatment.
Yoo Young-cheol, Director of the Gyeonggi Province Health and Wellness Bureau, said, “We hope the expansion of infertility treatment cost support will provide practical help to couples wishing to have children,” and added, “We will continue to actively work to alleviate the burden on infertile families and address the low birthrate issue.”
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