KDCA: Retroactive Applications for This Year's Confirmed Cases Accepted Until March Next Year
From now on, individuals aged 56 who are eligible for the national health screening will be able to receive financial support for hepatitis C confirmatory tests not only at local clinics but also at large general hospitals.
The Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency announced on December 23 that starting next year, financial support for confirmatory tests for hepatitis C antibody-positive individuals aged 56 (born in 1970) will be expanded to all medical institutions, including tertiary general hospitals and general hospitals.
The hepatitis C antibody test is a screening test, and a positive result can occur not only in those currently infected with hepatitis C but also in people who were previously infected and treated and are no longer patients. For this reason, if a positive result is obtained, an additional confirmatory test is required.
Until now, financial support for hepatitis C confirmatory tests was limited to clinics and small hospitals. As a result, examinees who visited general hospitals for more detailed tests were unable to receive this benefit, causing inconvenience.
Although there is no preventive vaccine for hepatitis C, a direct-acting antiviral (DAA) treatment that is taken for 8 to 12 weeks has been developed, which can cure more than 98% of cases. Therefore, early detection and treatment at the asymptomatic stage are especially important. In particular, since hepatitis C is a leading cause of liver cancer deaths among people in their 40s and 50s, who are highly active economically and socially, this expansion of support is expected to greatly help middle-aged adults manage their health.
In Korea, the number of reported hepatitis C cases peaked at 11,850 in 2020 and has since continued to decline, with 8,308 cases in 2022 and 6,444 cases in 2024. According to the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency, a mid-term review of this year's national hepatitis C screening project for 56-year-olds showed that, unlike other age groups, the number of hepatitis C cases detected among 56-year-olds increased by 35% compared to the previous year, highlighting the success of early detection.
Accordingly, from next year, regardless of the type of medical institution, individuals who undergo hepatitis C confirmatory tests at any hospital will receive support of up to 70,000 won for their consultation and test fees. In addition, 56-year-olds (born in 1969 as of 2025) who were confirmed as hepatitis C antibody-positive through this year's national screening, but have not yet applied for reimbursement, or who were previously excluded from support due to being tested at a general hospital or higher-level institution, can apply by March 31 next year to receive retroactive reimbursement.
Applications can be submitted online via the Government24 website (by accessing the QR code) or by visiting a nearby public health center.
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