Out-of-pocket expenses for cesarean deliveries will be adjusted from 5 percent to 0 percent starting next year.

The Ministry of Health and Welfare said the “Enforcement Decree Amendment to the National Health Insurance Act” containing such content was approved at a cabinet meeting on Tuesday.

The amendment will eliminate out-of-pocket expenses for cesarean deliveries from Jan. 1, 2025.

Until now, patients have been required to pay 5 percent of the total cost of medical benefits for cesarean deliveries, compared to no out-of-pocket expenses for natural deliveries.

However, the government has decided to eliminate the co-payment for cesarean deliveries to reverse the declining birthrate, reflecting the voices from the field that it is necessary to support couples who want to give birth.

According to the Health and Welfare Ministry, the proportion of C-section deliveries has increased yearly, accounting for over half of all deliveries since 2019.

The amendment will also expand the authority of the Health Insurance Review and Assessment Service (HIRA) branch offices.

As a result, simple and frequently occurring tasks, such as reporting the status of nursing homes, can now be handled at the nearest HIRA branch office.

“The revision of the enforcement decree is a proactive measure that reflects the reality of the high number of cesarean deliveries and the need for groundbreaking support for parents who want to have children,” said Lee Jung-kyu, director-general of the ministry’s Health Insurance Policy Bureau. “We hope it will help reverse the declining birthrate by creating a healthy childbirth and child-rearing environment.”