This is a government support program designed to reduce the financial burden of medical expenses caused by rare and chronic diseases. It provides partial coverage of out-of-pocket medical costs for patients facing financial difficulties due to high medical bills. In 2026, the scope of support has expanded and procedures have been simplified, allowing more patients to benefit from the program.
To receive medical expense support, you must first be diagnosed with a qualifying condition. Rare diseases are intractable conditions affecting 2,000 or fewer patients and must be included in the disease list designated by the Ministry of Health and Welfare.
However, you must meet income and asset standards to receive support. Based on 2026 standards, household members with income at or below 180% of the median household income are eligible, and total household assets must not exceed 240 million won.
The support amount varies depending on the type and severity of the disease and your income level. In 2026, most medical expenses including outpatient care, hospitalization, and prescription drug costs have been expanded to be covered.
You should also check items excluded from support. Cosmetic surgery, orthodontics, health screening fees, oriental medicine treatment (with some exceptions), and vaccination fees are not covered.
The application process for medical expense support is very simple. You can apply online or directly at your local health center. Starting in 2026, online applications have become more streamlined, allowing you to complete the process conveniently from home.
Online Application: Visit the Ministry of Health and Welfare's 'OnJongro' portal or 'Medical Expense Support Portal' to apply. After registering and verifying your identity, simply upload your disease certificate and income documents.
Offline Application: You can apply by visiting your local health center or through your community welfare council.
Required documents are as follows:
When preparing documents, note that only official documents issued within the past three months are valid. The diagnostic certificate must be issued by the medical institution where you received treatment and should be scanned and uploaded for online applications.
After submitting documents, approval typically takes 2-4 weeks. After the health center verifies your income and asset criteria and determines you are eligible for support, you will receive an approval notice.
How to Receive Support Funds: After approval, funds are automatically deposited into the account you specified in your application. Note that you must pay medical expenses first and receive support later, rather than having the hospital paid directly.
When Annual Support Limit is Reached: If you reach the maximum support amount during the year, no additional support is available for that year. You can reapply starting January of the following year.
Other benefits you can receive together with medical expense support: You can receive even more benefits by applying together for health insurance out-of-pocket cost reduction programs, medical aid support, and national cancer screening support.
Duplicate Support Restrictions: For the same medical expenses, you can only receive support for amounts not already covered by other government support programs.
2026 Changes: Starting this year, application documents have been simplified, and when applying online, income information is automatically linked, eliminating the need for additional document submission in many cases. Additionally, the review period has been shortened, allowing you to receive results faster.
Don't Forget to Reapply: Support must be applied for once per year, and income and asset criteria are re-verified annually. If you exceed the standards, you will not receive support from that year onwards, so check regularly.
This article is information analyzed and organized by AI based on various sources. For more accurate information, please confirm with relevant agencies or specialists.
