Compensation for Obstetrics, Pediatrics, and Emergency Medical Accidents Strengthened... Government to Guarantee Up to 1.8 Billion Won

Ministry to Fully Cover Liability Insurance Premiums for Medical Professionals
Coverage Expanded to Maternal and Child Medical Centers and Emergency Care Specialists
Maximum Coverage Increased by 100 Million Won, Deductible Reduced by 50 Million

When medical accidents occur in the fields of obstetrics, pediatrics, or emergency care, the government will provide support through a high-value compensation insurance policy, allowing for damages of up to 1.8 billion won. This system is designed to reduce the compensation burden for medical personnel and to help victims of medical accidents recover quickly.

The Ministry of Health and Welfare announced on the 23rd that it will officially launch the "2026 Essential Medical High-Value Compensation Insurance Support Project" and will begin accepting insurance enrollment applications through the affiliated medical institutions of eligible medical personnel starting on the 25th. This program, introduced last year, is a government initiative to subsidize high-value compensation insurance premiums for medical professionals in essential medical fields. This year, the range of eligible recipients and the scope of coverage will be further expanded.

First, in addition to existing obstetricians and pediatric surgeons with a record of deliveries, dedicated specialists at maternal and child health centers and emergency medical institutions have been newly added as eligible recipients. Dedicated specialists at emergency medical institutions include those affiliated with regional emergency centers, regional trauma centers, pediatric specialty centers, and specialists at regional emergency centers participating in the pilot project to innovate the emergency patient transport system.

Coverage has also been enhanced: for specialists, the coverage limit has been raised from 1.7 billion won to 1.8 billion won, and the deductible borne by medical institutions has been reduced from 200 million won to 150 million won. For residents, the burden on medical institutions will decrease from 30 million won to 20 million won, with a maximum coverage of 330 million won.

In particular, medical institutions will not have to pay the high-value insurance premium themselves and can enroll in the high-value compensation insurance with only the government-supported premium. Each specialist will receive an annual premium subsidy of 1.75 million won, and each resident will receive 300,000 won. For training hospitals already enrolled in existing compensation insurance, it is possible to opt for a refund of the same amount of insurance premium.

Separate support measures have also been prepared for resolving minor disputes in the event of a medical accident. For medical accidents involving insured medical personnel, up to 10 million won in damages will be provided separately. In the event of criminal complaints or accusations, legal counsel and mental trauma treatment costs for victims will also be covered. Emergency medical specialists participating in the pilot project to innovate the emergency patient transport system who complete enrollment by July will have insurance coverage retroactively applied from March this year.

Medical institutions wishing to newly enroll in the essential medical high-value compensation insurance can submit an application and supporting documents to the insurer from the 25th until November 30th. Renewal applications for last year’s enrollees will begin in October. Further details can be found on the dedicated websites and call centers of the Korea Medical Dispute Mediation and Arbitration Agency and the Korean Medical Association Medical Compensation Mutual Aid Association.

Jung Eun-kyung, Minister of Health and Welfare, stated, "The Essential Medical High-Value Compensation Insurance Support Project is a system that enables medical institutions providing essential medical services to prepare for medical accident compensation without incurring additional costs. We expect this will benefit both medical professionals and patients." She added, "To ensure sufficient and swift recovery for victims of medical accidents, we will establish a solid compensation system by preparing subordinate regulations under the Medical Dispute Mediation Act and refining the insurance system after gathering input from various stakeholders."

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