Visitors look at items on display during a baby fair in Sejong, central South Korea, on Dec. 27, 2019. (Yonhap)
SEOUL, Nov. 19 (Korea Bizwire) — Starting next January, the National Health Insurance Service (NHIS) will offer larger childbirth subsidies that are provided as credit/debit card vouchers.
The Ministry of Health and Welfare and the NHIS announced Thursday that relevant legislation will come into effect on January 1, 2022.
According to the new legislation, a mother carrying a single child will receive 1 million won (US$843), which is 400,000 more than previous practices.
A mother carrying twins or more will receive 1.4 million won, which is also 400,000 more than the previous amount.
Pregnant women living in areas with poor access to childbirth services will receive an additional 200,000 won.
The subsidies will expire two years from the date of birth, unlike one year under previous rules.
Mothers will be able to use the vouchers to buy a wider variety of goods.
All restrictions on the use of subsidies limited to buying medication or paying for medical treatment related to pregnancy or childbirth will be lifted, allowing recipients to use the vouchers for all kinds of medication and medical treatment.
Subsidies for toddlers to help cover the cost of medication and other medical expenses will now cover all newborn babies under 2 years old.
H. M. Kang (hmkang@koreabizwire.com)
