Health Policy Manag.  2022 Sep;32(3):258-271. 10.4332/KJHPA.2022.32.3.258.

A Study on the Mitigation Methods of Financial Burden in Public Long-term Care Insurance System: Comparison of South Korea, Japan, and Germany

• Yoon NY
• Lee DH

• KMID: 2534968
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.4332/KJHPA.2022.32.3.258

Abstract

The rapidly aging trend of Korea is a major factor that threatens the sustainability of the long-term care insurance system. Therefore, looking at how Japan and Germany mitigated the financial burden when they managed similar long-term care insurance systems will provide important implications for improving the Korean system in the future. The study was conducted using the literature review method, and the “country” was set as a unit for the case analysis. The three countries selected are Korea, Japan, and Germany. Recently in Korea, the insurance premium rates of all subjects have been rapidly rising, which can exacerbate the issue of intergenerational equity. On the other hand, Japan has responded to the aggravating finances for long-term care insurance due to aging by raising coinsurance for selected groups like the wealthy elderly. Germany is selectively raising the insurance premium rates by additionally increasing the premium rate for childless recipients. A more preventive and quality-oriented care service plan can be promoted by referring to the recent changes in Japan and Germany. In addition, a more effective and selective increase in payment burden in Japan and Germany could be considered in response to a recent equity issue in Korea.

Keyword

Public long-term care insurance; Financial burden; Korea; Japan; Germany