Kim Hyun-bin began his journalism career at Arirang TV from 2012 to 2017, specializing in defense, foreign affairs and the economy. In 2018, he joined The Korea Times, covering society and business, and is currently responsible for embassy affairs.
Government vows to expand support for Type 1 diabetes patients following death of family
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By Kim Hyun-bin
The government is mulling over various ways that it can help to alleviate the financial burdens faced by individuals suffering from Type 1 diabetes, after a nine-year-old girl with the condition was murdered by her parents, who then took their own lives.
The murder occurred in Taean, South Chungcheong Province, on Jan. 9. Accroding to local police, the parents left a note, saying it was hard to see their daughter in pain and also cope with the economic challenges.
Type 1 diabetes is a genetic disorder that tends to emerge early in life and is sometimes referred to as juvenile diabetes. Also called insulin-dependent diabetes, the disease is a chronic condition whereby the pancreas makes little or no insulin.
The tragic deaths have sparked renewed attention to economic challenges faced by those coping with the disease, prompting advocacy groups to highlight the urgent need for fundamental improvements in the support system for patients.
In their joint statement on Thursday, the Korean Insulin Dependent Diabetes Association and the Korean Diabetes Union said that at least six cases of young patients' dying, over the past several years, was due to complications or suicides, criticizing the inadequacies of the current support infrastructure.
"Many children and families still suffer from uncontrolled blood sugar, economic reasons and social prejudices,” the statement read. "
"Simply adding support for medical expenses is not the complete solution to the overall problem. The government should understand the need to create laws related to support for pediatric, adolescent and youth diabetes patients and recognize Type 1 diabetes as a disability."
They said that Type 1 diabetes has no cure, and patients need continuous glucose monitors and insulin injectors, such as insulin pumps and digital pens. This causes huge economic burdens. The government has offered some insurance benefits, but procedures to claim the subsidies are too complicated, leaving some patients to abandon taking the benefits.
In response to the outcry, Health Minister Cho Kyoo-hong issued a rare statement, vowing to expand the government support, including an accelerated implementation of policies for families managing pediatric diabetes.
Originally slated for the end of March, these measures will now be rolled out by the end of February.
Under the new policies, patients under the age of 19 will benefit from a reduced self-payment rate of 10 percent when acquiring the advanced insulin pump. This adjustment is expected to significantly ease the financial strain on affected families, bringing the self-payment burden down from 3.81 million won ($2,900) to approximately 450,000 won.
Expenses for a glucometer will also be reduced from about 190,000 won a month to 100,000 won.
The ministry emphasized that the government's commitment will go beyond mere financial relief.
"We will conduct regular monitoring to assess the impact of the new measures and whether there are additional difficulties," a ministry official said. "We will continue to listen to opinions from patients and medical professionals to reflect them into our policies."