Incheon City Guarantees Medical Access for Bedridden Disabled Individuals... Support Linked to Private Ambulances

On July 8, Incheon City announced that it will launch a pilot project to support bedridden disabled individuals with hospital transfers by linking them to private ambulances.

This project aims to guarantee the right to health and medical access for bedridden disabled individuals. It is expected to not only ensure their safe transportation to hospitals, but also significantly reduce the financial burden associated with these transfers.

The city will collaborate with three private ambulance companies (22 vehicles) to support the transportation of bedridden disabled individuals throughout Incheon, as well as to hospitals in Seoul and the Gyeonggi region. The user fee is 5,000 won per trip, with an additional charge of 1,300 won per kilometer for distances exceeding 10 kilometers.

Ambulance operating hours are from 7:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. Reservations must be made in advance through the Incheon Transportation Support Center for the Mobility-Impaired (call center) between 7:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m. on the day before the intended use. During the pilot period, service usage is limited to two one-way trips per month. The pilot project is managed by the Incheon Transportation Corporation, and users must submit documentation proving their bedridden disability to use the service.

An ambulance supporting hospital transfers for bedridden disabled individuals. Incheon City

Bedridden disabled individuals are those with severe disabilities who cannot sit up or maintain a seated position on their own. They have consistently faced violations of their right to mobility and health, as they are often forced to use regular taxis unsafely or rely on expensive private ambulances to access hospitals.

In 2023, the Constitutional Court ruled that such institutional shortcomings violate the right to equality and called for amendments to the Enforcement Rules of the Act on Promotion of Transportation Convenience for Mobility-Disadvantaged Persons. Last year, the Korea Human Rights Promotion Agency also filed petitions with local governments nationwide, including Incheon City, regarding the infringement of mobility and medical access rights of bedridden disabled individuals.

Incheon City plans to use the pilot project to bridge service gaps until special vehicles for bedridden disabled individuals become commercially available, and will proceed with the main project after revising relevant ordinances.

Kim Insu, Director of the Incheon City Transportation Bureau, stated, "This pilot project is a measure to minimize human rights violations that may occur while waiting for institutional improvements," adding, "Based on the analysis of the pilot project, we will actively pursue the transition to a full-scale project, budget allocation, and amendments to related ordinances."

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