Expansion of Physical and Household Activity Support for Elderly Patients Under 65 with Geriatric Diseases

Ministry of Health and Welfare Holds 3rd Long-term Care Committee Meeting ... Next Year's Fees and Insurance Rates to Be Decided in September

[Asia Economy Reporter Jo In-kyung] Measures are being promoted to expand physical and household activity support for patients under the age of 65 who suffer from elderly diseases such as dementia or Parkinson's disease.

The Ministry of Health and Welfare announced on the afternoon of the 17th that it held the "3rd Long-term Care Committee Meeting of 2022," chaired by First Vice Minister Cho Kyu-hong, to discuss next year's long-term care fees and financial operation directions.

The Long-term Care Committee is a social consensus body where stakeholders such as subscribers and providers gather under the Elderly Long-term Care Insurance Act to deliberate on major matters related to long-term care, including insurance rates and benefit costs.

At the 3rd committee meeting, the financial status and environment were reviewed, and opinions on future directions were exchanged prior to deciding on the increase rates for long-term care insurance benefits and premiums. The rates for next year's long-term care benefits and insurance premiums are scheduled to be decided at the Long-term Care Committee meeting in September after practical discussions.

The Ministry of Health and Welfare plans to determine appropriate fees to provide high-quality services to long-term care recipients and improve the treatment of workers such as care workers. Financial operations will be covered by subscriber premiums, taxes, and recipients' co-payments, and appropriate services matching care needs will be provided to ensure financial soundness and sustainability.

During the meeting, measures to improve the quality of meal services at long-term care institutions and to expand the recognition scope of elderly diseases for those under 65 were also discussed.

The Ministry clarified the principle of direct meal preparation and provision within care facilities but decided to gradually implement the principle of on-site direct cooking considering field acceptance. Additionally, plans will be made to expand the placement of nutritionists and cooks, strengthen nutrition and hygiene management standards, and manage meal costs to improve the quality of meal services in care facilities.

Currently, the Elderly Long-term Care Insurance recognizes only 21 elderly diseases such as cerebrovascular disease, dementia, and Parkinson's disease, but through amendments to the enforcement decree, the scope of diseases eligible for physical and household activity support will be expanded to include those under 65.

Vice Minister Cho Kyu-hong stated, "In response to the rapid increase in the elderly population, we will listen to the opinions of experts and the field to prepare measures for the sustainability of the long-term care insurance system," adding, "We will continue policy efforts to provide more thorough and comprehensive services."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.