An analysis on the mortality of the beneficiaries of Korean long-term care insurance

The Long-Term Care Insurance system for the elderly (K-LTCI) is a social insurance program that provides financial support to older adults and individuals with geriatric diseases who require assistance with caregiving or daily activities. As the proportion of the elderly population continues to rise, the K-LTCI plays an increasingly vital social role. Ensuring the stable operation of the K-LTCI requires thorough financial analysis. Since the cost of long-term care services is directly a ffected by the duration of service utilization, analyzing the survival period of the K-LTCI beneficiaries is essential. This study aims to examine mortality rates among the K-LTCI beneficiaries and to identify differences in mortality and life expectancy according to eligibility levels. Using the K-LTCI database from the National Health Insurance Service, the study analyzed mortality rates by care level for 2,227,451 beneficiaries from 2015 to 2023. The results show a clear trend of higher mortality rates associated with more severe levels of care need, with particularly pronounced di fferences among older age groups. These findings are expected to serve as valuable foundational data for assessing the financial sustainability of the K- LTCI system, designing policies related to care services, and improving elderly care services.