Health Insurance Premium to Rise Again
By Bae Ji-sook
Staff Reporter
From July, the national health insurance premium will go up 4 percent in addition to this month's 6.5 percent rise. In conclusion, the subscribers will face up to a 10.7 percent hike in total this year.
The rise is attributable to a newly adopted long-term care insurance program for elderly people, which will cover up to 80 percent of their medical fees certain diseases designated by the government.
``With the system, even dementia patients can stay at relevant facilities with just 400,000-550,000 won a month,'' Chang Jae-hyeok, a ministry spokesman, said. ``The new program is designed for society to share the burden of seniors who suffer from diseases such as dementia or stroke, which need professional help for at least six months. It will pay off in the future aging society,'' he added.
The government will first select 160,000 people, or 3.1 percent of the senior population, to benefit from the program. Those over 65 years old with serious disease or under 64 years old but have age-related disease will be eligible.
However, the program is expected to trigger anger from subscribers.
The hike will be a burden on subscribers, who will pay 61,370-69,900 won a month this year. According to the Ministry of Health and Welfare, subscribers will pay additional 2,390-2,720 won, equivalent to 0.2 percent of an average monthly income of all subscribers.
Still, the money cannot cover all the seniors in need of help and the premium may go up further in 2009 to broaden the coverage, the ministry said.