Ministry of Health and Welfare issues draft rule — local officials to verify eligibility
No need to bring paperwork to government offices — process made more convenient
Expected to ease psychological burden — set to take effect in two months
[Asia Times=Shin Do] The government will create a system that deems rejected basic pension applicants to have applied automatically if local authorities confirm that their income or assets now meet eligibility criteria. The change aims to simplify the application process and address cases where eligible seniors missed out on benefits because they were unaware they needed to reapply.
On April 2, the government said the Ministry of Health and Welfare published a draft amendment to the enforcement decree of the Basic Pension Act and will accept public comments through May 6.
The amendment is designed to substantially improve convenience for basic pension applicants. It also introduces a deemed-application provision and includes measures to help rejected applicants reapply.
Under the proposal, for individuals enrolled in the pension interest-tracking program, the date a local official confirms eligibility will be treated as the application date.
The interest-tracking program monitors rejected applicants’ income and assets annually for five years and notifies them if they become eligible. With this amendment, older applicants will no longer need to gather paperwork or visit government offices; a government verification will suffice to complete the application.
To ensure a smooth rollout, the government has established a legal basis to use existing personal and income records. Officials said they will rely on previously submitted data whenever possible to minimize the burden on beneficiaries.
Previously, applicants rejected for exceeding income or asset limits had to reapply in person, even if eligibility thresholds were later relaxed or their financial circumstances changed. That requirement meant many eligible seniors missed out on benefits because they were unaware they needed to reapply.
The ministry expects the revision to strengthen protection of pension rights. It said the change will ease the psychological burden on older applicants, who until now had to monitor shifting eligibility rules and apply in person with supporting documents.
The enforcement decree will take effect two months after it is promulgated. At that time, rejected applicants who are already enrolled in the interest-tracking system will be the first to receive benefits.
