Jeongeup-si "Get Cancer Screening"... This Year for Odd-Year Born Individuals

Published 29 Nov.2023 11:06(KST)

Jeongeup City in Jeollabuk-do has launched an active campaign to encourage more citizens to undergo cancer screenings.

According to the city on the 29th, this year's screening targets are those born in odd-numbered years, and individuals aged 50 and over can receive colorectal cancer screenings annually without any out-of-pocket expenses.

Jeongeup City Hall. [Photo by Jeongeup City]

The screening items include six major cancers: stomach cancer, liver cancer, lung cancer, cervical cancer, colorectal cancer, and breast cancer, and must be completed by the end of next month.

Costs are free for medical aid recipients and the bottom 50% of health insurance premium payers, while the top 50% of health insurance premium payers incur a 10% co-payment.

As of the end of last month, the public health center reported that out of 60,913 eligible individuals aged 20 to 69 in the bottom 50% of health insurance premium payers, only 20,796 have completed the screenings.

Eligible individuals can receive screenings at screening institutions nationwide, and in Jeongeup, they can be screened at any of the 15 designated hospitals and clinics.

To facilitate citizens aged 50 and over who undergo annual colorectal cancer screenings, the city health center provides stool sample containers at the town, township, and neighborhood community centers, as well as at health sub-centers and health clinics.

Citizens who underwent colonoscopy between 2019 and 2023 can register as colorectal cancer screening participants by contacting the National Health Insurance Service Jeongeup branch.

Additionally, low-income groups (medical aid recipients and those eligible for reduced co-payments under the lower-income bracket) can receive support up to 3 million KRW if diagnosed with cancer, and starting this year, adult cancer patients experiencing hair loss due to cancer treatment side effects can receive up to 500,000 KRW for wig purchases.

A health center official stated, “Cancer can be cured with a high probability if detected and treated early, so active participation of citizens in the national cancer screening program is important,” adding, “Since screening demand tends to concentrate at the end of the year, please get screened as soon as possible before it’s too late.”