[Edaily Reporter Shin Yeong-bin ] ANGEL ROBOTICS Co., Ltd.(455900)’s wearable gait rehabilitation robot, the “Angellex M20,” is now covered by national health insurance for the rehabilitation of children and adolescents with cerebral palsy. This follows the expansion of health insurance coverage for robotic gait rehabilitation—which had previously focused on stroke patients—to include patients aged 18 and under with central nervous system disorders.

ANGEL ROBOTICS Co., Ltd. announced on the 3rd that the scope of health insurance coverage for “robotic orthopedic motion devices”—a category to which its Angelex M20 belongs—has been expanded from stroke patients to children and adolescents aged 18 and under with central nervous system disorders, such as cerebral palsy.

This category falls under “selective benefits,” where health insurance covers a portion of the cost and the patient is responsible for the remainder. This is the first time the coverage for robotic-assisted orthopedic exercise devices has been expanded since the category was established in February 2022.

The Ministry of Health and Welfare partially revised the “Detailed Provisions on the Application Criteria and Methods for Medical Care Benefits” on the 30th of last month, with the revisions taking effect on the 31st. With this amendment, the coverage criteria for robot-assisted gait training have been expanded from stroke patients within six months of onset to patients with central nervous system disorders—such as cerebral palsy in those aged 18 or younger—who require improvement in gait function at gross motor function classification levels 2–4 at the start of rehabilitation therapy.

The duration and frequency of treatment will be determined based on the patient’s condition. The patient copayment rate for selective benefits remains at 50%, unchanged from the previous rate.

Robot-assisted gait rehabilitation therapy is becoming increasingly prevalent in rehabilitation settings due to its ability to provide repetitive and quantifiable training. However, since health insurance coverage had previously been limited to subacute stroke patients, children and adolescents with conditions such as cerebral palsy who experience walking difficulties faced limitations in access to treatment.

The Angelex M20 is a wearable gait rehabilitation robot that patients wear directly on their bodies. In December 2022, it received product approval from the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety as a Class 3 medical device for robotic-assisted orthopedic exercise equipment.

This product is designed to enable gait training on actual flat surfaces and stairs. It employs a force-control method that recognizes the wearer’s intention to walk and provides assistance only where strength is lacking, thereby encouraging active patient participation in rehabilitation. It can be used in hospitals under a doctor’s prescription and guidance, in collaboration with a physical therapist or other healthcare professional.

The results of a large-scale randomized controlled clinical trial using the Angelex M20 for children with cerebral palsy were published in 2024 in the American medical journal *JAMA Network Open*. According to the paper, 90 children with cerebral palsy were divided into a robot-assisted gait training group and a physical therapy control group. After six weeks of training—three times a week for 30 minutes per session—the robot-assisted gait training group showed significant improvements in gross motor function, balance control, and gait patterns.

Jo Nam-min, CEO of ANGEL ROBOTICS Co., Ltd., stated, “With this expansion of insurance coverage, children and adolescents with cerebral palsy—who previously had limited treatment options—can now more easily access cutting-edge rehabilitation therapy.” He added, “This is highly significant in that it provides the best possible treatment opportunities for children with disabilities during the critical period when their lifelong walking abilities are being established.”