Medical cost support for people with rare diseases — dependent-supporter income and asset criteria to be abolished in stages from 2027
Source material is a Korean government announcement (in Korean).
The dependent-supporter income and asset criteria for medical cost support for people with rare diseases are planned to be abolished in stages, with stage 1 on January 1, 2027 and stage 2 on January 1, 2028.
Key facts
| What changes | The dependent-supporter household's income and asset criteria (200% of the standard median income and a separate asset criterion) within the selection criteria for medical cost support for people with rare diseases are abolished in stages |
|---|---|
| Stage 1 | Takes effect January 1, 2027 — priority for diseases with high severity and high medical need, such as ultra-rare diseases, other chromosomal abnormality diseases and rare diseases eligible for nursing cost support |
| Stage 2 | Takes effect January 1, 2028 — extended to all rare diseases |
| Current patient household criteria | The patient household's income and asset criteria (140% of the standard median income and a separate asset criterion) are kept |
| Budget | About 2.6 billion won in required budget reflected in the 2027 government proposal |
| Preparation schedule | Relevant guidelines to be amended in the second half of 2026, targeting entry into force on January 1, 2027 |
| Number of covered diseases | 1,147 in 2022 → 1,189 in 2023 → 1,272 in 2024 → 1,338 in 2025 → 1,413 as of 2026 |
Last checked:
The Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (질병관리청) explained on September 3, 2026 that it plans to abolish the dependent-supporter income and asset criteria within the selection criteria for medical cost support for people with rare diseases in stages from 2027. The current selection criteria apply, in addition to the patient household's income and asset criteria (140% of the standard median income (기준 중위소득) and a separate asset criterion), the dependent-supporter household's income and asset criteria (200% of the standard median income and a separate asset criterion). Stage 1 takes effect on January 1, 2027 and gives priority to diseases with high severity and high medical need, such as ultra-rare diseases, other chromosomal abnormality diseases and rare diseases eligible for nursing cost support; stage 2 takes effect on January 1, 2028 and extends the change to all rare diseases. The agency said that about 2.6 billion won in required budget has been reflected in the 2027 government proposal and that it is preparing, through amendment of the relevant guidelines in the second half of 2026, for the change to take effect from January 1, 2027.
Background — why this change
The Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (질병관리청) explained that it has continued to ease the income criteria for rare diseases other than the 4 major diseases (haemophilia, Gaucher disease, Fabry disease and mucopolysaccharidosis). For those 4 major diseases, an income criterion of below 160% of the standard median income applies. It also said that, since the medical cost support programme for people with rare diseases began in 2001, support schemes easing the burden of medical costs have been expanded and introduced, including the out-of-pocket maximum system in 2004 and catastrophic medical cost support in 2013. The out-of-pocket maximum system is a scheme under which, if the partial out-of-pocket payments made by a health insurance subscriber over 1 year exceed the out-of-pocket ceiling for their income bracket, the National Health Insurance Service covers the excess amount; catastrophic medical cost support is a scheme that provides a certain range of medical costs where medical expenses are excessive relative to income and asset levels.
Summaries below are factual notes based on government announcements and primary sources — not evaluations or opinions.
FAQ
When is the dependent-supporter criterion abolished?
It is planned to be abolished on January 1, 2027 in stage 1, starting with ultra-rare diseases, other chromosomal abnormality diseases and rare diseases eligible for nursing cost support, and then extended to all rare diseases on January 1, 2028 in stage 2.
Does the income criterion for the patient's own household also disappear?
This plan concerns the stage-by-stage abolition of the dependent-supporter household's income and asset criteria (200% of the standard median income and a separate asset criterion); the patient household's income and asset criteria (140% of the standard median income and a separate asset criterion) are kept.
How many diseases are covered?
The number of diseases covered by medical cost support for people with rare diseases has grown from 1,147 in 2022 to 1,413 as of 2026.