It is time to keep subscribers from exploiting loopholes
A few foreign nationals here are deriving excessive benefits from the national health insurance system at the cost of domestic subscribers. According to data independent lawmaker Lee Yong-ho received from the National Health Insurance Service, one Chinese citizen residing in Korea received about 3.3 billion won ($2.8 million) in medical treatments over the last five years, while shouldering only 332 million won in health insurance co-payments. If this situation is true, it means that this one Chinese national received about 3 billion won in insurance benefits.
The data shows that a total of 4,559,000 people of foreign nationality have been treated in hospitals during the last five years and received about 3.66 trillion won in insurance benefits. That means that the average healthcare benefit per individual of foreign nationality exceeded 800,000 won.
At present, residents of foreign nationality must wait for six months before applying for state health insurance benefits as a district subscriber. But foreign nationals employed by farms and fisheries are eligible for insurance upon arrival here under revised regulations announced in March. The number of foreign health insurance subscribers may rise, apart from the fact that next year's insurance premium will increase 1.89 percent.
In fact, the fiscal soundness of the national health insurance system has already been deteriorating. The national health insurance scheme had been in the black ever since 2011, before going into the red in 2018 when the Moon Jae-in administration's healthcare policy, dubbed "Moon Jae-in care," was launched. What's worrisome is that Korean nationals could be beset with an increased burden of health insurance premiums. A decline in population will also prompt an increased demand for migrant workers. The health authorities must come up with viable measures to keep subscribers from exploiting loopholes in our health insurance system.
A few foreign nationals here are deriving excessive benefits from the national health insurance system at the cost of domestic subscribers. According to data independent lawmaker Lee Yong-ho received from the National Health Insurance Service, one Chinese citizen residing in Korea received about 3.3 billion won ($2.8 million) in medical treatments over the last five years, while shouldering only 332 million won in health insurance co-payments. If this situation is true, it means that this one Chinese national received about 3 billion won in insurance benefits.
The data shows that a total of 4,559,000 people of foreign nationality have been treated in hospitals during the last five years and received about 3.66 trillion won in insurance benefits. That means that the average healthcare benefit per individual of foreign nationality exceeded 800,000 won.
At present, residents of foreign nationality must wait for six months before applying for state health insurance benefits as a district subscriber. But foreign nationals employed by farms and fisheries are eligible for insurance upon arrival here under revised regulations announced in March. The number of foreign health insurance subscribers may rise, apart from the fact that next year's insurance premium will increase 1.89 percent.
In fact, the fiscal soundness of the national health insurance system has already been deteriorating. The national health insurance scheme had been in the black ever since 2011, before going into the red in 2018 when the Moon Jae-in administration's healthcare policy, dubbed "Moon Jae-in care," was launched. What's worrisome is that Korean nationals could be beset with an increased burden of health insurance premiums. A decline in population will also prompt an increased demand for migrant workers. The health authorities must come up with viable measures to keep subscribers from exploiting loopholes in our health insurance system.
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