Expansion of Health Insurance Coverage for Drug Addicts to Begin in the First Half of Next Year
During the 24th Health Insurance Policy Discussion Committee meeting, the Ministry of Health and Welfare announced its decision to extend health insurance coverage to include individuals under ‘treatment protection’ for drug addiction. This expansion will take effect in the first half of next year, broadening the scope of coverage beyond those who have been ordered to receive treatment by the court.
Broader Inclusion of Treatment Protection
The new policy will encompass individuals who are subject to treatment protection, including those with deferred prosecution for drug addiction, individuals released from prison after serving their sentences, as well as teenagers struggling with addiction. The initiative reflects a shift in societal perception, recognizing drug addiction as a treatable disease.
Goals and Benefits
The government hopes that this decision will alleviate the financial burden on medical staff and treatment organizations, ultimately facilitating access to treatment for drug addiction. With the expansion of health insurance coverage, the aim is to support and enhance the effectiveness of drug addiction treatment.
Furthermore, the Ministry of Health and Welfare plans to establish a ‘regional base treatment support system’ to improve access to treatment, along with increased budget allocation for this purpose.
Extension of Pilot Projects
In addition to the expansion of health insurance coverage, the Health Insurance Policy Discussion Committee has extended the pilot project for home medical care for rehabilitation patients and children’s rehabilitation medical institutions. The extension will continue until December 2026 and includes the addition of target disease groups and participating organizations.
The decision to broaden health insurance coverage for drug addiction treatment and extend pilot projects reflects the government’s commitment to improving accessibility and support for individuals in need of rehabilitation services.
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Starting from the first half of next year, those subject to ‘treatment protection’ for drug addicts, including teenage addicts, will also be covered by health insurance .
The Ministry of Health and Welfare held the 24th Health Insurance Policy Discussion Committee this afternoon and decided to expand health insurance, which had previously applied to treat drug addicts who have been ordered to receive treatment or treatment in custody by the court, to those who are subject to treatment protection.
Last year, around 420 people were eligible for protection from treatment, including those who had a deferred prosecution for drug addiction, those released from prison after serving their sentences, and young people teenagers who were addicted.
Just as health insurance related to treatment costs for suicide attempts in 2014, the perception that drug addiction is a disease that society must now treat seems to have spread.
The government hopes that this decision will have the effect of alleviating medical staff from avoiding drug treatment by paying appropriate treatment fees to treatment organizations and protecting and improving fees.
In order to increase access to treatment, the Ministry of Health and Welfare plans to establish a ‘regional base treatment support system’ and expand the associated budget.
In addition, the Health Insurance Policy Discussion Committee extended the period of the pilot project for home medical care for rehabilitation patients and children’s rehabilitation medical institutions, which expires next month, by three years until December 2026.
In addition, the pilot project for home medical care for rehabilitation patients has decided to increase the target disease groups and invite additional participating organizations.
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