The South Korean government will cover premiums for high-payout liability insurance so that medical staff in essential fields do not bear excessive compensation burdens in the event of medical accidents, reported the ChosunBiz.
The Ministry of Health and Welfare will fully push ahead with the "2026 essential medical high-payout liability insurance support program" that fully covers premiums for high-payout liability insurance so that medical staff in essential fields such as obstetrics, paediatrics, and emergency care do not bear excessive compensation burdens in the event of medical accidents.
The government-set compensation limit for medical accidents under the specialist standard is up to KRW1.8bn ($1.2m), out of which KRW1.5bn is borne by the medical institution and is excluded, and KRW1.65 bn is covered by insurance. The scope of the support has been expanded this year as previously the focus was on obstetrics and gynaecology for deliveries and some paediatric surgery.
Those eligible include obstetrics and gynaecology specialists with delivery records; dedicated specialists at maternal and child health centres; paediatric surgery, paediatric thoracic surgery, paediatric cardiology, and paediatric neurosurgery at hospitals and above; specialists at regional emergency centres participating in pilot projects to innovate the emergency medical system, including regional emergency centres at regional emergency centres, regional trauma centres, and paediatric specialty centres; and, for emergency medical institutions, not only emergency medicine but also other department specialists.
For residents, eight departments are eligible: internal medicine, surgery, obstetrics and gynaecology, paediatrics, cardiothoracic surgery, emergency medicine, neurosurgery, and neurology.