Rare disease patients who have struggled to obtain necessary medical supplies due to the Middle East war will be able to receive syringes and other items through direct delivery via the contactless care platform Soldoc starting Tuesday.
The Ministry of Health and Welfare announced Tuesday that it will immediately launch a medical supply direct delivery service in partnership with Soldoc. Health and Welfare Minister Jung Eun-kyeong held a meeting at Seoul National University Hospital's Rare Disease Center the same day with the secretary general of the Korea Organization for Rare Diseases, medical staff from Seoul National University Hospital, and Soldoc representatives to hear about the difficulties faced by home-based rare disease patients amid the Middle East war.
Rare disease patients are defined under the Rare Disease Management Act as patients with uncommon diseases affecting fewer than 20,000 people. Among these patients, those who must manage their conditions at home using medical supplies such as syringes and IV sets have struggled with rising medical supply prices and shortages caused by the Middle East war.
"Due to the Middle East situation, IV sets I used to buy from online shopping malls were often out of stock, which made me anxious," said one caregiver of a patient with short bowel syndrome. Another caregiver of a child with Cornelia de Lange syndrome said, "Syringes and single-use vials are essential for feeding and medicating our children, and I was worried about not being able to obtain supplies that I used to buy online."
The Ministry of Health and Welfare partnered with Soldoc because of the platform's system that can verify rare disease patient status in connection with medical institutions. When rare disease patients or their caregivers apply to purchase medical supplies through the internet or the mobile application, the platform can easily verify eligibility through linkage with the National Health Insurance Service system.
When rare disease patients purchase general non-reimbursable medical supplies, they can receive delivery by parcel after payment. For items eligible for medical care benefits that require a doctor's prescription, patients consult with a physician through contactless care before purchasing the products. The company handles the claim procedure with the insurance service, and patients only need to pay their out-of-pocket share.
The medical supplies provided through Soldoc include syringes, IV sets, suction tips, suction catheters, sterile saline solution, and disinfectant swabs needed by home-based rare disease patients. The Ministry of Health and Welfare and Soldoc decided to expand eligibility, if necessary, to include patients with severe incurable diseases and severely ill children receiving medical care benefits. "We plan to also push for medicine delivery when patients urgently need it," the ministry said.
The Medical Service Act, which was revised last December and is scheduled to take effect this December, permits contactless care for rare disease patients and others. Rare disease patients will be able to receive contactless care at hospital-level or higher medical institutions and can also receive delivery of medicines and consumables. The ministry plans to strengthen contactless care services centered on essential medical care until the law takes effect.
"The state and society will take responsibility so that patients are not marginalized or anxious just because their diseases are rare," Minister Jung said. "If support is needed based on surveys of medical consumable cost burdens, we will provide financial support."
