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๐Ÿ‡ฐ๐Ÿ‡ท South Korea /Health & Science

Manage hypertension and diabetes at your local clinic through a new national program

From Hankyoreh · () Korean

Translated from Korean, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

Explainer Official statement New plan
  • South Korea's National Health Insurance Service offers a chronic disease management program for hypertension and diabetes through local clinics.
  • The program provides personalized 1-year management plans, education, and consultations from doctors or care coordinators.
  • Participants benefit from continuous monitoring, reduced co-payments, and potential point accumulation through healthy lifestyle activities.

For individuals managing chronic conditions like hypertension and diabetes, systematic support is now available through South Korea's National Health Insurance Service. The "Primary Care Chronic Disease Management Project" connects patients with local clinics for personalized, year-long care plans.

Participating clinics, identified via the National Health Insurance Service website or app, offer patients tailored management strategies. Doctors or dedicated care coordinators, such as nurses and nutritionists, provide education and counseling on disease management and lifestyle adjustments. The medical team continuously monitors blood pressure and blood sugar levels, offering feedback to support consistent self-care.

This program moves beyond simple prescription-based treatment, offering a comprehensive approach based on a thorough evaluation of the patient's condition. Its accessibility through neighborhood clinics ensures regular check-ins, while the ongoing support from healthcare professionals aids in controlling blood pressure and sugar levels, and crucially, in preventing complications.

Eligibility is open to anyone diagnosed with hypertension or diabetes. Participants enjoy reduced co-payments on certain services, including re-examination fees and some tests, offering a 10% discount compared to standard outpatient visits. Additionally, a pilot program offers points for healthy lifestyle activities like walking and attending educational sessions, which can be used to offset out-of-pocket medical expenses.

DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by Hankyoreh in Korean. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.