Public Medicare System

[Anchor Lead]

The city of Incheon launched the first ever public medicare system in which even the homeless as well as the low-income class receive free assistance for cancer treatment. Patients without family members or guardians are provided with caretakers and those with terminal cancer are being treated in the hospital's palliative care program.

[Pkg]

​Life has been tough for Cheon Mi-gyeong since her divorce. Recently she was shocked to learn she has colon cancer. But Cheon was able to undergo surgery, free of charge, just nine days after the diagnosis. This was made possible by the cancer patient subsidy program Incheon Medical Center began implementing for the first time in Korea this year.

[Soundbite] Cheon Mi-gyeong(Cancer Patient(51 years old)) : "My mind is at ease and I think I'll be alright because I don't have any financial burden. Everything's going well."

The cost of cancer treatment and surgery is subsidized for the homeless, the low-income class and the working poor in the lower 50% of the national health insurance payment bracket.

[Soundbite] Dr. Cho Seung-yun(Pres., Incheon Medical Center) : "We subsidize a substantial part of the cost incurred when a patient is transferred to another hospital."

Back in 2011, Incheon Medical Center became the first hospital in the nation to provide caretakers for patients with no family members and those who cannot afford caretakers. So far more than 100,000 patients benefited from this service.

[Soundbite] Lee Han-ju(Patient with a Subsidized Caretaker) : "This program is providing me with both financial and mental support."

The hospital increased the number of "negative pressure rooms" that completely seal out viruses to prevent the spread of infectious disease. Plus, Incheon Medical Center is further expanding its public medical services with a new hospice and palliative care wing to provide better care to terminal patients.