The government is moving to expand enteral nutrition support for pediatric and adolescent patients with Crohn’s disease, following a previous scaling back due to budget cuts and other constraints.
Authorities are reportedly considering maintaining the current support system while increasing aid for patients with the greatest unmet needs.
The Ministry of Health and Welfare and the Korean Society of Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology, and Nutrition recently discussed measures to expand enteral nutrition support for patients with Crohn’s disease. (Credit: Getty Images)
According to the medical community, the Ministry of Health and Welfare recently held discussions with the Korean Society of Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology, and Nutrition on measures to expand enteral nutrition support for patients with Crohn’s disease.
Professor Yoo In-hyuk of the Department of Pediatrics at Seoul St. Mary's Hospital, who attended the meeting as a representative of the academic society, told Korea Biomedical Review that “the government appears willing to expand support in one form or another.”
According to Yoo, the core focus of the latest discussions is to strengthen practical support through a strategy of “selection and concentration.” Previously, the pediatric gastroenterology society had proposed broadening the pool of eligible patients, even if a patient co-payment system was introduced.
However, during the recent meeting, the Health and Welfare Ministry reportedly suggested that rather than increasing patients’ financial burden, it would be more effective to identify those in greatest need and provide them with “100 percent coverage.”
Under the proposal currently under discussion, existing criteria -- including the current one-year support limit -- would remain unchanged. However, additional support could be expanded for pediatric and adolescent patients who lost eligibility after the one-year period or who urgently require further nutritional assistance, provided they meet certain conditions and receive prescription-based approval.
Specific budget allocations and the number of beneficiaries have not yet been finalized. Both the ministry and the academic society reportedly agree that, given clear fiscal constraints, a phased, targeted approach is necessary rather than a broad expansion of the program.
Professor Yoo explained that the ministry plans to first establish an internal direction regarding budget estimates and the projected number of eligible patients before sharing it with the academic society. The society would then develop detailed guidelines, including clinical criteria and indications for identifying patients most in need of additional support.
“We cannot expand the program indefinitely if we want to ensure its sustainability,” Yoo said. “But within the available budget, we will establish appropriate criteria so that support can first reach patients who truly need it.”
You Ji-young
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