Suction Pump & Feeding Pump Costs: Insurance Coverage in Korea

South Korea is expanding national health insurance coverage to include three additional home care medical devices – pulse oximeters, suction devices, and enteral feeding pumps – effective May 1, 2026. The move aims to alleviate the financial burden on families caring for severely ill pediatric patients at home, according to the Ministry of Health and Welfare.

Previously, insurance coverage was limited to ventilators, oxygen concentrators, and cough-assist machines. Families were responsible for the full cost of other necessary equipment. The expanded benefits package will now provide significant financial relief for eligible patients and their caregivers.

Pulse Oximeters: 90% Coverage, Reduced Out-of-Pocket Costs

Pulse oximeters will be covered for patients under the age of 19 who require continuous oxygen saturation monitoring, including approximately 1,700 individuals using ventilators or oxygen therapy due to congenital or cyanotic heart disease. The standard reimbursement price for a pulse oximeter is set at 1.4 million won (approximately $944 USD), with insurance covering 90 percent of the cost. This reduces out-of-pocket expenses for patients to around 140,000 won (approximately $95 USD).

Importantly, the insurance coverage extends to both reusable and disposable sensors required for the pulse oximeters, further lowering additional costs to roughly 20,000 won (approximately $13 USD).

Suction Devices and Enteral Feeding Pumps Also Included

Approximately 2,400 patients under 19 who have difficulty clearing airway secretions – including those using ventilators or who have undergone tracheostomy – will benefit from the inclusion of suction devices in the insurance coverage. These patients are at increased risk of respiratory distress and infection if secretions accumulate, making regular suctioning essential. The device costs 230,000 won, with 90 percent covered by insurance, leaving patients to pay approximately 23,000 won.

Enteral feeding pumps, which deliver nutritional fluids to patients who have difficulty eating on their own, are also now covered. Approximately 2,200 pediatric patients who cannot take food orally and require long-term nutritional support via feeding tubes, such as gastrostomy tubes, will be eligible for this benefit. Under the expanded coverage, 90% of the standard cost of these devices will be covered by national health insurance.

Government Aims to Improve Continuity of Home Treatment

The Ministry of Health and Welfare estimates that around 6,000 patients will be eligible for the expanded coverage. The government stated that the expansion of support for essential equipment aims to improve the continuity of home treatment for severely ill pediatric patients and enhance the in-home care environment.

The move reflects a broader trend toward increasing access to home healthcare and reducing the financial strain on families dealing with chronic or severe illnesses. By providing greater insurance coverage for essential medical devices, the South Korean government hopes to ensure that patients can receive the care they need in the comfort of their own homes.