|
As increasing numbers of Korean expatriates returned to home for medical treatment, the resulting burden on the National Health Insurance Corporation over the last five years mounted to W41.2 billion (US$1=W1,190). Under the current system, Koreans living overseas can get health insurance benefits so long as they pay the monthly fee, which is normally around W 60,000. This is seen by some as a free ride.
According to a report submitted by the NHIC to Grand National Party lawmaker Son Sook-mee on Monday, the number of Koreans living overseas who registered with the national health insurance after arriving in Korea doubled from some 9,600 in 2003 to 19,600 last year. The number of cases of medical treatment more than tripled in the same period from 110,000 to 350,000. The cost quadrupled from W3.7 billion in 2003 to W14 billion.
While the NHIC bore average medical costs of W12.53 million per person among the top 100 who received the most expensive medical treatment in 2005, the figure jumped to W21.2 million in 2007. Among patients, 82 percent returned from advanced countries such as Canada, Japan and the United States, where medical costs are higher than in Korea.
¡°When 25 percent of the registered members of the national health insurance, or 2.06 million households, are not benefiting from the insurance because they are unable to pay for it, a system that allows excessive benefits to Koreans living overseas must be amended,¡± Son said.
(englishnews@chosun.com )
|
