South Korea Scales Back Emergency healthcare Support, Invests in Long-Term System Improvements
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The South Korean Ministry of Health and Welfare announced a series of critically important changes to its emergency medical support system, signaling a shift from crisis response to long-term sustainability. Decisions made at the 20th health Insurance Policy Deliberation Committee meeting on October 31st include phasing out temporary financial support for emergency care, adjusting hospital and clinic relative value scores, and expanding nursing care benefits for seriously ill pediatric patients receiving care at home.
Ending Emergency Medical Health Insurance Support
Following the lifting of the “serious” level healthcare crisis warning and the conclusion of the government’s emergency response system, the Ministry of Health and Welfare has decided to end its emergency medical health insurance support programme. initiated in February 2024, the program provided financial assistance to medical institutions to maintain and operate their emergency treatment systems during a period of heightened strain.
According to a senior official, the decision reflects a recent recovery in the overall medical system. The government had previously supported 10 health insurance items to bolster emergency care, with four already adjusted through fee conversions or terminations linked to relative value score adjustments and hospital transformation projects. Of the remaining six items, four will see support terminated, while two will be converted to regular public policy fees, recognizing the ongoing need for a robust emergency medical infrastructure.
“We are grateful for the public’s cooperation during a prolonged emergency situation,” a ministry spokesperson stated. “We will continue to support medical sites to ensure uninterrupted care for seriously ill and emergency patients, and minimize any inconvenience to the public.”
did you know? – South Korea’s emergency medical support program began in February 2024 to aid hospitals during a period of strain. It provided financial assistance to maintain emergency treatment systems.
Phased termination of Broader Emergency System Support
beyond direct financial support to emergency departments, the government is also phasing out temporary measures designed to stabilize the emergency medical system. Incentives for regional emergency medical centers, regional trauma centers, and pediatric emergency medical centers will end this month, with final evaluations occurring through October 2025 and payments distributed in December.
Additionally, 23 temporarily operating regional emergency medical centers, established in September 2024, will continue to focus on severe emergency patients and expand dedicated manpower before their eventual termination by the end of the year. The Ministry of Health and Welfare emphasized its commitment to strengthening regional critical and emergency treatment capabilities through continued investment in designating additional emergency medical institutions and enhancing compensation structures.
Pro tip: – The government is evaluating regional emergency medical centers through October 2025, with final payments distributed in December, before their termination.
Adjusting Hospital and Clinic Relative Value Scores
In line with the 2nd National Health Insurance Extensive Plan (2024-2028), the government is addressing imbalances in healthcare funding by increasing the relative value scores of undercompensated services. A financial investment of KRW 19 billion will be directed towards clinic consultation fees, while KRW 32.5 billion will be allocated to hospital medication and dispensing fees, utilizing 0.1% of the hospital/clinic conversion index increase rate in 2026.
This translates to a 0.76% increase (1.49 relative value score points) in initial consultation fees at clinics. Hospitals will see increases of 30 to 50% for four medication and dispensing fee items, especially those related to severe treatment. “We are moving away from uniform fee increases and focusing on boosting compensation for historically underpaid services,” explained a ministry representative. “This will help resolve imbalances and ensure a more equitable distribution of resources.”
Reader question: – What’s changing with hospital funding? The government is increasing relative value scores for undercompensated services, investing KRW 51.5 billion total.