Healthy Lifestyle Incentive Program: Eligibility, Points, and Applications
The Healthy Lifestyle Incentive Program is a National Health Insurance Service initiative that awards eligible participants points for activities such as walking, joining health management programs, and improving health indicators. Participants can earn up to 120,000 points over two years under the preventive track and up to 80,000 points over one year under the management track, but they must first check their eligibility, region, and application deadline.
- The Healthy Lifestyle Incentive Program is divided into preventive and management tracks, each with different participation requirements.
- The preventive track is open to people designated by the National Health Insurance Service among national health screening recipients aged 20–64 who have identified health risk factors.
- The management track is primarily for patients with hypertension or diabetes who have enrolled in the Primary Care Chronic Disease Management Program and established a care plan.
- The earning limit is up to 120,000 points over two years for the preventive track and up to 80,000 points over one year for the management track, while the actual amount earned depends on activity performance.
- Because participating regions and detailed criteria may change, individuals should check their eligibility directly on the National Health Insurance Service website or through the Health Insurance 25si app.
The Healthy Lifestyle Practice Support Program is a program operated by the National Health Insurance Service to help people who need health management improve their lifestyle habits. Eligible participants earn points based on their activities when they meet conditions such as walking, education and counseling, self-monitoring, and improvements in health indicators.
This program does not automatically award points to everyone who walks a lot. You must qualify for either the preventive or management track, complete your application, and then perform activities recognized under the applicable track.
Differences Between the Preventive and Management Tracks
| Category | Preventive Track | Management Track |
|---|---|---|
| Main purpose | Prevent diseases in people with health risk factors | Provide ongoing chronic disease management for patients with hypertension or diabetes |
| Main participants | People aged 20–64 who need health management based on the results of a national health screening | Patients with hypertension or diabetes who are enrolled in the Primary Care Chronic Disease Management Program and have established a management plan |
| Participation period | 2 years | 1 year |
| Maximum points | Up to 120,000 points over 2 years | Up to 80,000 points over 1 year |
| Main recognized activities | Walking, health management programs, improvements in health indicators, etc. | Walking, self-monitoring, education and counseling, checkups and evaluations, etc. |
The maximum point amount is not a fixed subsidy paid simply for participating. Points are actually earned only by meeting the conditions for each track, such as participation registration, step counts, program completion, measurement records, and evaluation results.
Eligibility for the Preventive Track
The preventive track is available to National Health Insurance subscribers or dependents aged 20–64 who have undergone a national health screening, have identified health risk factors, and meet the National Health Insurance Service’s eligibility criteria.
The main health risk criteria provided in the Service’s guidance are as follows:
- A body mass index, or BMI, of at least 25.0kg/㎡, and
- Blood pressure of at least 120/80mmHg, or
- Fasting blood glucose of at least 100mg/dL
Meeting the age and screening-result criteria does not automatically confirm participation. You must also check whether your area is covered by the program, when the screening was conducted, and whether the National Health Insurance Service has selected you as an eligible participant.
Applications for the preventive track generally must be submitted within a specified period after the national health screening date. The Service’s guidance typically sets the application deadline at within 6 months of the screening date, so if you receive an eligibility notice, it is safest to check the remaining application period immediately.
Eligibility for the Management Track
A diagnosis of hypertension or diabetes alone does not make you eligible to apply for the management track. The main participants are patients who enroll in the Primary Care Chronic Disease Management Program at a participating medical institution and establish an individual management plan with a doctor.
Management-track participants may perform the following activities under their management plans:
- Achieving the required step count
- Self-monitoring blood pressure or blood glucose
- Participating in education and counseling at a medical institution
- Undergoing periodic checkups and evaluations
The management track may also have a set application period after the management plan is established. The Service’s guidance typically sets the deadline at within 3 months of the management plan establishment date, so you should confirm the exact deadline with the medical institution in charge and the National Health Insurance Service.
Point-Earning Criteria and Limits
You can earn up to 120,000 points over 2 years under the preventive track and up to 80,000 points over 1 year under the management track. However, the maximum limit is the upper amount available only when all recognized activity and evaluation criteria are met.
Activities That May Be Recognized Under the Preventive Track
- Registering for the program
- Meeting daily step-count goals
- Completing health management programs
- Improving health indicators such as weight, blood pressure, and blood glucose
- Participating in evaluations designated by the Service
Activities That May Be Recognized Under the Management Track
- Registering for the program and establishing a management plan
- Meeting daily step-count goals
- Self-monitoring blood pressure or blood glucose
- Participating in education and counseling
- Undergoing regular checkups and evaluations
The points assigned to each activity, annual limits, and methods for recognizing measurements may vary depending on when the program is operated. Your personal point-earning chart displayed in the app or on the Service’s website should be checked as the final standard.
What to Check Before Applying
Checking the following conditions in order before applying can help reduce unnecessary visits.
- Check whether you qualify for the preventive or management track.
- Check whether the National Health Insurance Service has registered you as an eligible participant.
- Check whether your residential area or participating medical institution is currently covered by the program.
- Check whether the application deadline has not passed based on your health screening date or management plan establishment date.
- Check whether your phone can sync step counts and health records.
Even if your health risk measurements appear to meet the criteria, you may not be identified as eligible in the online inquiry. In this case, rather than applying on your own, you should contact the National Health Insurance Service customer service center or the branch office with jurisdiction to accurately determine why you were or were not selected and whether you can apply.
How to Apply Online, by Mobile App, or in Person
National Health Insurance Service Website
- Visit the National Health Insurance Service website.
- Log in after completing identity verification.
- Find the Health iN or Healthy Lifestyle Practice Support Program menu.
- Check whether you are eligible and whether the application period is open.
- Review the information concerning the use of personal and health information, and apply to participate.
If the menu structure has changed, you can search for Healthy Lifestyle Practice Support Program using the site’s search box.
Health Insurance 25si App
You can use the Healthy Lifestyle Practice Support Program participation menu in Health Insurance 25si, the official mobile app of the National Health Insurance Service. Depending on the app version, the former name, The Health Insurance, may also be displayed.
After applying, you must check the app’s permission to access step counts and the status of health data syncing. Even if your phone records your steps, they may not be reflected in your points if app syncing is turned off or if the records fall outside the recognized period.
Visiting a National Health Insurance Service Branch Office
If applying online is difficult, you can bring identification and contact a National Health Insurance Service branch office responsible for the program. Before visiting, it is advisable to check whether the branch processes applications and whether any additional documents are required.
How to Use Points and Important Precautions
Accumulated points can be used to purchase goods or make permitted payments at designated online merchants and other locations specified by the Service. This means that points can be used like money within the designated scope, but they are different from ordinary cash payments or unrestricted withdrawals to a bank account.
Before using points, check the following:
- Minimum number of points required for use
- Designated online malls or mobile merchants
- Point expiration date
- Items that cannot be purchased
- Deadline for using remaining points after participation ends
Program rules and places where points can be used may change, so the latest usage guidance shown on the point screen takes priority.
When Points Are Not Accumulating After You Apply
If points are not being earned as expected, check the following:
- Whether your participation application was fully completed
- Whether permission to access step counts has been granted
- Whether the app’s latest sync has been completed
- Whether the step count for the applicable date meets the recognition criteria
- Whether education, counseling, or self-monitoring records were properly registered
- Whether the processing period required to reflect activity records has passed
If records are still missing after syncing, it may help the National Health Insurance Service investigate if you capture screenshots of the app screen and provide the activity date, measurement records, phone model, and operating system information.
Key Points to Remember
The Healthy Lifestyle Practice Support Program is not a walking reward program automatically available to the entire population. You must meet all requirements for the applicable track, covered program area or participating medical institution, and application deadline.
Points are also not automatically awarded up to the maximum limit. After applying, you must manage the app’s syncing status and regularly check the assigned activities and evaluation criteria presented to you. Because covered areas and detailed point-earning criteria may be expanded or revised, the latest guidance from the National Health Insurance Service should be used as the final standard.
FAQ
Can anyone apply for the Healthy Lifestyle Practice Support Fund Program?
No. For the preventive type, people aged 20–64 whose national health screening results identify health risk factors and who meet the National Health Insurance Service's criteria may participate. The management type is primarily intended for patients with hypertension or diabetes who have enrolled in the Primary Care Chronic Disease Management Program and established a care plan. Regional and participating medical institution requirements must also be checked.
Can I receive up to 120,000 points just by walking?
No. The 120,000 points for the preventive type is the maximum limit that can be received over two years. In addition to walking, you must meet the requirements for several categories, including enrollment, health management programs, assessments, and improvements in health indicators. The actual number of points earned varies depending on individual activity performance.
Can I apply for both the preventive and management types at the same time?
Because the two types have different eligibility criteria and management objectives, you must check which type applies to you based on the results of an inquiry with the National Health Insurance Service. The National Health Insurance Service determines whether dual participation is permitted based on the individual's eligibility status and current operating criteria, so you should not assume that you can apply for both types at the same time at your own discretion.
Do I automatically become eligible if my health screening results meet the criteria?
Eligibility is not confirmed automatically. Additional conditions may apply, including age, the type and timing of the screening, health risk measurements, and the program region, and you must be identified as eligible to participate in the National Health Insurance Service system.
Is there a deadline for applying?
A deadline may apply. According to guidance from the National Health Insurance Service, the preventive type generally has a deadline of within six months of the date of the national health screening, while the management type generally has a deadline of within three months of the date the care plan was established. If your individual notice specifies a different deadline, that notice takes precedence.
Can I withdraw the points I have earned as cash?
They cannot be freely withdrawn to a bank account like ordinary cash. They may be used for payment at online malls designated by the National Health Insurance Service or at authorized locations, and conditions such as a minimum redemption amount and expiration date may apply.
Why aren't the step counts on my mobile phone reflected in my points?
Possible reasons include an incomplete participation application, disabled app permission to access step counts, a synchronization delay, failure to meet the eligibility criteria, or records from outside the eligible period. If the steps are still not reflected after checking your application status and the latest synchronization in the app, you should contact the National Health Insurance Service.
Where can I get help if applying online is difficult?
You can contact or visit the branch office of the National Health Insurance Service with jurisdiction over your area. Before visiting, it is advisable to check whether you are eligible, which branch office is responsible, and whether any documents in addition to your ID are required.
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