Health insurance reforms to reduce burden on underprivileged
By Bang Moon-kyu Bang Moon-kyuThe Ministry of Health and Welfare announced a plan on Jan. 23 to reform the national health insurance contribution scheme. Putting more weight on income, the scheme will go through three stages of gradual reforms.The existing payment system applies different criteria to workplace health insurance enrollees (employers and employees) and those to local health insurance enrollees including the self-employed and retirees.The insurance premiums are estimated based solely on income for the former, while those of the latter reflect personal wealth including property and vehicles. Low-income local subscribers, who earn an annual income less than 5 million won ($4,300), pay their premium based on “income rating,” which takes into account gender, age, income, property and cars owned by their family members.This income rating will be abolished after 17 years. The scale of imposition for property and vehicles will gradually dwindle. At the last phase of reform, 80 percent of local subscribers may bear only half of the current insurance premiu
Feb 10, 2017
