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From January of next year, Korean expats who use domestic healthcare institutions should pay for three months of health insurance in advance. If they pay the monthly average regional health insurance fee of approximately 60,000 won they are covered by domestic health insurance as soon as they enter the country, which some claim it equates to a 'free ride.¡¯
Health, Welfare and Family Affairs Minister Jeon Jae-hee said that it is advancing a plan that requires expats to pay for three months of insurance, which could become effective in January next year.
Earlier, at a debate about parliamentary inspection, Son Sook-mee of the Grand National Party, requested a solution to expats¡¯ medical fees which, covered by national health insurance, amounted to 41.2 billion won for the past five years, and 14 billion won last year alone.
The number of expats registering for health insurance has doubled to 19,600 last year, from 9,600 in 2003. The number of treatments issued has surged more than three-fold, from approximately 110,000 to 350,000.
(englishnews@chosun.com )
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