Hwaseong Special City Receives High Praise for Nation's First 2 Million Won Private-Public Partnership 'Infant Insurance' Program

[Suwon Ilbo=Reporter Jung Jun-sung] The "vulnerable infant and toddler insurance support project" launched in earnest by Hwaseong Special City and the Hwaseong Welfare Foundation since April is receiving strong positive response.

This project targets 48 households receiving basic livelihood, medical, or housing assistance with infants born after January 1 this year. Currently, administrative welfare centers in each township, town, and district are proactively informing caregivers applying for related benefits about the project, and interested recipients can apply through the Hwaseong Family Center. The target households receive approximately 2 million won worth of insurance premiums per infant and toddler.

Insurance coverage is provided through the "Guardian Angel Dream Child Our Baby Insurance," a single-payment product developed through cooperation between the Hwaseong Welfare Foundation and Dong Yang Life Insurance. The plan covers surgical expenses, hospitalization fees, and treatment costs due to illness and injury, reducing the burden of medical expenses necessary for infants and toddlers from birth.

The application process has also been simplified. When caregivers submit an enrollment application, they visit the Hwaseong Family Center where staff witnesses the signing of the insurance contract. Subsequently, an insurance designer explains coverage details and contract matters, completing the enrollment process.

The project's total budget of 100 million won was secured through designated donations from Shinsung E&T;, a local Hwaseong-based company (CEO Heo Hwanwon). This infant insurance project, the nation's first public-private partnership model, is receiving recognition for establishing a new welfare milestone by pooling community resources to complete a medical safety net for children.

Behind this project planned by the city and Hwaseong Welfare Foundation lies a strong commitment to resolving social inequalities where income disparities directly lead to healthcare disparities.

According to 2024 "Korean Welfare Panel Survey" data released by the Korea Institute for Health and Social Affairs, the private health insurance enrollment rate for low-income households stands at only 45.13%, falling short of even half the 91.63% enrollment rate for general households.

This starkly illustrates the "healthcare safety net polarization" phenomenon in our society. General and high-income households are well-protected against serious illnesses and high medical expenses through dual coverage via health insurance and private insurance, while low-income households dependent solely on public insurance face structural problems and risks without the capacity to pay insurance premiums.

The city and Hwaseong Welfare Foundation, recognizing this issue, determined that existing one-off cash support measures such as childbirth incentives or initial childcare expenses have limitations in resolving welfare blind spots and structural healthcare inequality.

Consequently, Hwaseong Special City's "vulnerable infant and toddler insurance support project" is receiving high evaluation among welfare experts as an advanced policy model, as it establishes a solid "long-term guarantee foundation" enabling continuous protection for infants and toddlers from various diseases and accidents they may encounter during their growth.

Mayor Jung Myeong-geun stated, "While the city has achieved three consecutive years of being first in the number of births, it is important not to rest on that achievement and carefully address the differences in starting points that exist among children. I believe a truly number one city is one where all children born in Hwaseong can grow up equally healthy and safe regardless of wealth and income," and added, "Based on the city's capabilities, which included establishing the nation's first Basic Society Division, the infant insurance will serve as a reliable safety net so parents in Hwaseong do not experience heartache over hospital bills."