Gyeonggi Province Expands Infertility Treatment Coverage...Starting November

[Suwon Ilbo=Reporter Kim Gap-dong] Starting November 1st, Gyeonggi Province is expanding support for infertility treatment procedures from 25 cycles per couple to 25 cycles per live birth. Additionally, couples undergoing infertility treatment can now receive up to 1.1 million won in medical expenses if treatment is involuntarily discontinued.

The province announced this expansion of infertility treatment support on the 4th as a measure to overcome the low birth rate crisis.

The previous limitation of 'a total of 25 cycles per couple' expanding to '25 cycles per live birth' means that even if couples who achieve their first child through infertility treatment receive the maximum 25 cycles, they can receive 25 additional cycles for each second and third child.

Additionally, since May of this year, the province has been the first nationwide to provide 500,000 won per session without session limitations for medical expenses incurred from discontinuing infertility treatment. Starting November, couples discontinuing infertility treatment for involuntary medical reasons can receive up to 1.1 million won in medical expenses.

The 1.1 million won is provided by adding up to 600,000 won (90% of total out-of-pocket expenses) on top of the existing maximum 500,000 won per session for treatment discontinuation. Consultations and support applications can be made at health centers in the applicant's residential jurisdiction (based on female residence).

The province supports in vitro fertilization and artificial insemination procedures through its 'Infertility Treatment Support Project' as one of its low birth rate countermeasures. The province has independently abolished income standards since July of last year and residential period requirements in January of this year. Subsequently, it expanded the number of supported cycles to a maximum of 25 in February and eliminated age-based differential support in June, continuing to broaden the scope of support.

Based on 2023 data, the number of births in Gyeonggi Province that benefited from the infertility treatment support project was 7,751 cases, with 9,075 people born when including multiples such as twins. This accounts for 12.9% of all births in Gyeonggi Province in 2023 (70,541 people), meaning approximately 1 in 7.7 people were born through infertility treatment.

Yu Young-cheol, Director of the Provincial Public Health and Welfare Division, stated, "We hope the expansion of infertility treatment support will provide practical help to couples seeking to give birth," and added, "We will continue to make active efforts to alleviate the burden on infertility families and resolve the low birth rate crisis."