Anyone Can Use Elderly Care Services by 'Paying'

From now on, all elderly people in need of care will be able to use elderly care services on the premise of payment, regardless of their income. The government has decided to introduce price elasticity to social services in order to expand access to social services, which were previously provided only to certain groups such as care services or the Tomorrow Learning Card.

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On the 12th, the Ministry of Health and Welfare announced the "1st Basic Plan for Social Services (2024-2028)" at the Social Security Committee, which includes these details. The Ministry set three key tasks for the basic plan for social services: ▲expanding various services ▲providing high-quality services ▲establishing a foundation for supply innovation.

The Ministry plans to introduce price elasticity according to the content and level of services and to differentiate the co-payment based on income levels. Starting in 2025, the Elderly Customized Care Service will implement differentiated co-payments according to income levels. Currently, there is no co-payment for the bottom 70% income bracket, but in the future, all elderly people in need of care will be able to use the service on the premise of co-payment regardless of income.

From next year, the eligibility for the Tomorrow Learning Card, which was previously limited to workers, will be expanded to include self-employed individuals and workers in special employment types. Considering employment rates by training course and participant characteristics, self-employed and special employment workers will also be able to use the service on the premise of co-payment. Additionally, a price elasticity system based on the expertise of service providers will be piloted from next year in the regional voucher project "Psychological Support Services for Children and Adolescents."

To improve service quality, quality management measures such as the introduction of a quality certification system will also be institutionalized. A certification system that can measure quality will be introduced starting with the care service sector, and certification standards for each service will be prepared to gradually expand certification areas. Quality evaluation indicators will also be improved to be user-centered. An evaluation system for personnel and other aspects of service providers currently implemented in related fields such as care will also be introduced.

Cho Kyu-hong, Minister of Health and Welfare, stated, "Through this basic plan, we will foster high-quality social service providers to realize high-quality services, while also strengthening public responsibility and roles such as expanding service targets and proactive quality management."

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