Hospitalization fees for two- and three-person rooms due to school safety accidents will also be fully compensated

[Financial News] From now on, students or school staff injured in school safety accidents will be able to receive full compensation for hospitalization costs through School Safety and Insurance, even if they are hospitalized in a two- or three-person room.
The Ministry of Education announced on the 8th that a partial amendment to the 'Enforcement Decree of the ACT ON THE PREVENTION OF AND COMPENSATION FOR ACCIDENTS AT SCHOOL' containing these provisions was deliberated and approved at the Cabinet meeting.
Minister of Education Choi Kyo-jin stated, "I hope that this amendment to the enforcement decree will significantly alleviate the financial burden of medical treatment for students and school staff injured in school safety accidents," adding, "We will continue to strive to create an environment where both students and school staff can focus on educational activities with peace of mind."
School Safety and Insurance is a system that compensates students and school staff for medical expenses and other costs resulting from school safety accidents. Previously, two- and three-person rooms, which are classified as general wards under the National Health Insurance Act, were categorized as higher-class rooms under School Safety and Insurance. Consequently, even if a patient was hospitalized in a two- or three-person room, only the hospitalization fee equivalent to that of a four-person room was paid, and the insured person had to bear the difference.
The amendment expanded the scope of general wards covered by School Safety and Insurance to include wards capable of accommodating two or more patients, in accordance with the standards of the National Health Insurance Act. As a result, if a student or school staff member injured in a school safety accident is hospitalized in a two- or three-person room, they can receive full reimbursement for the room's hospitalization fees as medical care benefits.
However, clinics and dental hospitals are exceptions. In these institutions, the existing standard of classifying a ward capable of accommodating three or fewer patients as a higher-class room remains in effect.
Meanwhile, the amended enforcement decree takes effect on the date of its promulgation. Even when the procedure for paying medical care benefits is already in progress under the law at the time of enforcement, the amended payment standards will apply.
This amendment was driven by an outstanding proposal from the "3rd Absurd Regulation Contest" held by the Office for Government Policy Coordination last September. At the time, the proposal to "expand medical care benefits for students by relaxing the standards for higher-class rooms under the School Safety Act" was selected for the Excellence Award.

[email protected] Kim Man-gi Reporter