Medication Cost Support for Hypertension and Diabetes
to Be Provided Only via Card Starting in April
Gapyeong-gun, Gyeonggi Province (Governor Seo Tae-won) announced on the 8th that the payment method for hypertension and diabetes medication costs provided to seniors aged 65 and over will be changed to a local currency card payment system starting in April to improve the efficiency of the program operation.
Notice of Launching Local Currency Card for Medication Expenses in Gapyeong-gun. Provided by Gapyeong-gun
Currently, Gapyeong-gun supports medication costs of 12,000 KRW per month for hypertension and diabetes patients aged 65 and over. From April 1, the existing pharmacy deduction method will be replaced by the ‘Gapyeong-gun Medication Cost Local Currency Card’ payment method. Accordingly, all eligible recipients must obtain the Gapyeong-gun Medication Cost Local Currency Card before visiting the pharmacy.
To smoothly implement the change in the medication cost payment method, Gapyeong-gun has designated April 17 to 19 as a concentrated card issuance period, during which cards will be issued at the public health center and health branch offices. From April 20 onward, the issuance will switch to a regular issuance period, and cards can be issued not only at the public health center and health branch offices but also at health clinics.
As a specialized project of the county, Gapyeong-gun supports medication costs for hypertension and diabetes patients aged 65 and over (registered residents of Gapyeong-gun) to prevent medication non-adherence and progression to severe chronic diseases. Accordingly, eligible recipients can receive medication cost support by bringing their ID and prescription (or medical certificate) to the public health center or township health institutions to obtain the medication cost local currency card.
However, medication cost support cannot be received concurrently with other medical expense supports, so basic livelihood security recipients and those eligible for reduced co-payments under the lower-income bracket are excluded from the support. If there is a change in eligibility, medication cost support will be suspended, and card issuance will be restricted.
Governor Seo Tae-won stated, “This change in the medication cost support method is a measure to operate the system more efficiently, and we will actively guide seniors to ensure they do not experience inconvenience due to the change in the support method.” He added, “We will continue to prioritize the health promotion of county residents and pursue policies that provide practical assistance.”
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