By Bae Ji-sook
Staff Reporter
The costs individuals will have to shoulder for treatment of cancer and other major diseases will go down thanks to the government’s plan to restructure the national health insurance scheme, the Ministry for Health, Welfare and Family Affairs said Wednesday.
Under the five-year-plan which aims to give more benefits to subscribers, people suffering from cancer or cerebrovascular disease will have to pay only 5 percent of medical bills, down from the current rate of 10 percent, from the end of this year.
The government expects about 670,000 cancer patients will see a decline in their costs beginning in December. The portion of medical costs to be covered by insurance will rise to 80 percent in 2013 from 71.5 percent in 2007.
Coverage for severe burns and tuberculosis will also go to over 80 percent. Coverage for drugs for hepatitis B, rheumatism, anemia, breast cancer will also be increased.
Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) for spine and joint areas will be adjusted from next year, providing more coverage to patients.
The government expects a 1.5 percent annual raise in insurance premiums to finance the plan.
``Taking into account inflation and other price-influencing factors, the actual increase could reach between 6 to 8 percent between 2010 and 2013,’’ ministry official Park Yong-hyun said. ``We need an extra 3.1 trillion won budget for the plan.’’
On top of increases in insurance premiums, the government plans to expand its own budget to finance necessary funds.
However, the National Health Insurance Corp said it will not use any of its profit reserves of 2.3 trillion won, as that would weaken its finances. ``If we use our reserves, it will be completely depleted in four to five years,’’ another ministry official Yeom Min-seop said.
Among other areas that will be covered by the health insurance are cavity filling for children between five and 14 years old, artificial teeth for seniors over 75; and ultrasonograms. Tooth scaling, as well as other medical fees, will be covered by the National Health Insurance from 2013
In order to help boost childbirth, the government will continue to raise its subsidies for examinations during pregnancy to as much as 500,000 won ($330) by 2012. Currently, the government pays 200,000 won to each pregnant woman.