Yeongju City Expands Eligibility Criteria for Dementia Treatment and Management Expense Support

Eligibility Expanded to 140% of the Median Income

The Yeongju City Public Health Center in Gyeongbuk announced on the 21st that it plans to expand the dementia treatment management support project this year, which has been implemented since 2011 to improve dementia symptoms through early treatment and continuous management of dementia patients and to reduce the economic burden on patients and their families.

The treatment management support project provides financial assistance for dementia medication costs and the patient's share of medical expenses on the day of prescription, up to a maximum of 30,000 KRW per month (360,000 KRW per year), to patients diagnosed with dementia and prescribed dementia medication.

The support targets dementia patients aged 60 or older who are registered at the Dementia Safety Center and have their residence registered in Yeongju City. The eligibility criteria have been expanded from 120% to 140% of the median income to allow more patients to benefit.

However, veterans, recipients of the medical expense copayment ceiling system and compensation system, emergency welfare medical support recipients, and disabled persons eligible for medical expense support cannot receive overlapping benefits. For more details, inquiries can be made to the Dementia Safety Center.

In addition to treatment management support, the Yeongju Dementia Safety Center is dedicated to enhancing the welfare of dementia patients and their families through various programs such as △ early dementia screening △ dementia counseling and registration management △ prevention of missing dementia patients △ provision of care supplies △ dementia prevention classes △ customized case management △ shelter programs △ operation of dementia-friendly villages △ and dementia awareness improvement projects.

Kim Moon-su, Director of the Public Health Center, stated, “We will continue to expand support to reduce the economic burden on dementia patients and their families and to ensure that patients do not discontinue treatment.”