Health insurance in Korea : Foreigners Can Subscribe
International students are now required to sign up for health insurance in Korea. One of the most worrisome things about our foreign students in Korean life is probably, ‘What should I do when I get sick and sick?’ I’m sure. If you’re an international student who’s away from home and studying alone, you don’t know where to go and what to do when you’re sick in Korea of low environment, low language, and low culture? But you don’t have to worry too much. This is because Korea has a good health insurance system, so foreign students can also receive health insurance benefits. This time, let’s find out about health insurance in Korea.
What is health insurance?
Health insurance is a form of insurance that pays for medical expenses. It is also used in a broader sense, including disability, long-term care, and care. It can be provided through government-backed social insurance, or it can be purchased collectively (e.g., by a business to insure its employees), or it can be purchased privately. In each case, individuals or organizations of subscribers can pay insurance premiums or taxes to protect themselves from unexpected high medical expenses. Similar effects can be realized through social welfare provided by the government.
Medical insurance is mandatory for all citizens, starting with birth and ending with death. Therefore, medical insurance premiums must be paid monthly during the survival period from birth to death. The NHS estimates the total cost of health care and creates a fixed financial income structure (monthly premiums or annual taxes) to pay medical expenses within the contracted range. The scope of benefits is mainly managed by central organizations (mainly government agencies, private organizations, or non-profit organizations in charge of healthcare) Private insurance or non-profit health insurance accounts for a large portion of the national health insurance system that applies market principles. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, 60% are employer-funded, 27% are government-funded, and 9% are personally insured (this figure is redundant)
History of Health Insurance in Korea
The Ministry of Health and Welfare was first enacted and promulgated as Act No. 1623 on December 16, 1963 with the aim of establishing a people’s medical security system by providing insurance benefits for diseases, injuries, death, and delivery. Although limited protection has been provided, the scope of coverage has been gradually expanded, leading to the implementation of the national medical insurance system in 1989. Minor and chronic diseases such as colds are covered, and rare diseases are not covered by public insurance.
Foreign students who stay in Korea for more than six months are required to sign up for health insurance and pay insurance premiums due to recent changes in Korean law. The Ministry of Health and Welfare, a Korean government agency, announced that it will apply a new “health insurance coverage standard for long-term foreign nationals and foreigners” from March 2021. So international students who stay in Korea for more than 6 months must sign up for health insurance and pay insurance premiums. If you don’t pay the insurance fee, it will be reflected unfavorably when applying for an extension of your stay in Korea, so be careful!
International students who came to Korea D-2 (study abroad), D-4-3 (elementary, middle, and high school), and D-4 (general training) VISA are all required to subscribe to health insurance, and insurance premiums must be paid in advance by the 25th of next month. You will receive a health insurance payment notice (letter) on the 10th of every month, so you can pay through automatic transfer, bank visit, visit the Health Insurance Corporation office, website, and phone.
International students can receive the same health insurance hedging as Koreans while living in Korea. Hospital treatment, dentistry, health checkups, pregnancy, and childbirth-related treatment are also supported. However, medical treatment for beauty purposes such as skin care or plastic surgery is not covered by health insurance. It doesn’t cost a lot of money for international students because they only pay about 30% of the total cost with Korea’s health insurance benefits. So if you are sick, don’t hesitate to go to the hospital right away!
If you have any questions about health insurance or want to consult, call 1577-1000.
033-811-2000 Please also note that this number is for foreigners only and you can consult in English, Chinese, Vietnamese, and Uzbek!
