Seongnam City to Provide Up to 700,000 Won Annually in Emergency Care Cost Support for Low-Income Critical Illness Patients, a National First

City to Launch Support Program for Low-Income Patients with Four Major Critical Illnesses
Ensuring Continuity of Treatment by Alleviating Care Cost Burdens

Seongnam City, Gyeonggi Province (Mayor Shin Sangjin), will fully implement the "Emergency Care Cost Support Program for Low-Income Patients with Four Major Critical Illnesses" starting in 2026 to alleviate the sudden financial burden of care costs that may arise during the treatment process for low-income patients suffering from these conditions.

Seongnam City Hall exterior. Provided by Seongnam City

This program is designed to support low-income households who are hospitalized and qualify for special exemptions due to one of the four major critical illnesses-cancer, heart disease, cerebrovascular disease, and rare diseases. The aim is to ensure that treatment is not interrupted for economic reasons, even in emergency situations where caregiving is needed. Notably, Seongnam City is the first in the country to provide care cost support for patients with critical illnesses without any age restrictions.

Eligible recipients are low-income individuals-such as Basic Livelihood Security recipients, the near-poor, and single-parent families-who are registered residents of Seongnam City as of the application date and who have been hospitalized and received care at a hospital-level medical institution. However, patients admitted to long-term care hospitals are excluded from the program.

Once selected, each recipient can receive up to 700,000 won per year in emergency care cost support, with coverage available for care expenses incurred from January 1, 2026, onward. Applications can be submitted in person at the local Administrative Welfare Center or the Public Healthcare Policy Office at Seongnam City Hall, and online applications are also available through the Seongnam City Hall website.

Seongnam City completed consultations with the Ministry of Health and Welfare regarding the establishment of the new social security system and enacted the relevant ordinance in December 2025. For the 2026 project budget, a total of 273 million won has been allocated, and the program will be carried out from January until the budget is exhausted.

This initiative is expected to reduce both the economic and psychological burden on patients and their families by easing the cost of care for critical illnesses and ensuring continuity of treatment, while also strengthening Seongnam City's public healthcare safety net.