South Korea mandates photo ID at hospitals for insurance
Previously, patients could access medical services at a discount by giving their ID numbers at reception desks or inputting the numbers at kiosks
South Korea’s Ministry of Health and Welfare said on Sunday that from 20 May all patients seeking national health insurance benefits at medical institutes in the country will be required to present their photo identification cards.
According to The Korea Times, an increasing number of fraudulent cases have prompted the enhanced identification rules to avoid further exploitation of the country’s public health insurance system.
To access medical treatment at local clinics or larger hospitals, the ID cards acceptable as valid documents will include passports, resident registration cards, driving licences, disability register cards or certifications of alien registration.
When patients are without a physical ID card, technology is in place to enable them to download mobile certifications to show they are entitled to receive health insurance.
Patients aged 19 and under, emergency patients, and visitors returning to the same medical institution within six months will be exempt from displaying their card, as will those who receive subscribed medicine at pharmacies.
In compliance with the National Health Insurance Act, all Korean nationals, excluding recipients of certain livelihood programs and all foreign nationals residing in Korea for more than six months, must enrol in the national health insurance programme.
For the program, monthly premiums are required to be paid in relation to one’s income and assets. It offers around 70% of total costs for most medical treatments, excluding non-essential services such as cosmetic procedures.
Medical coverage is equal for all illnesses or injuries, regardless of how much one pays in monthly premiums.
South Korea’s government recently threatened prosecution of doctors participating in strikes that pushed against government plans to increase the number of students in the country’s medical schools.