Health ministry raises home-care cap for severely ill elderly to 370,000 won a month

The health ministry said Friday it will raise the monthly limit on home-care services for severely ill elderly people by as much as 370,000 won ($277), part of a package of 2027 changes approved by the Long-Term Care Committee.

The monthly ceiling on home-care benefits rises for every long-term care grade, with increases ranging from 23,880 won to 378,500 won. For patients in grades 1 and 2, the cap will be lifted to the level of the maximum monthly fee for institutional care, allowing them to receive full care at home rather than in a facility. A grade 1 recipient using three hours of home-visit care will be able to schedule up to 48 sessions a month next year, up from 44 this year, while a grade 2 recipient moves from 40 to 45. The monthly limit for grade 1 patients rises to 2.89 million won from 2.51 million won, and for grade 2 patients to 2.68 million won from 2.33 million won.

The committee, chaired by First Vice Minister Hyun Soo-yup, also set the long-term care insurance rate at 0.9994 percent of income for 2027, up from 0.9448 percent this year. That works out to an average increase of 1,100 won a month per subscribing household, taking the average premium from 19,029 won to 20,129 won. The premium is levied as a percentage of the national health insurance contribution rather than of income directly, at a rate of 13.90 percent: a household paying 100,000 won ($75) a month in health insurance premiums would pay 13,900 won in long-term care premiums.

The committee separately approved higher travel allowances for care workers who serve clients at a distance and improved compensation for work on public holidays.