Higher Medical Fees for Mild Cases
Starting from the latter half of this year, patients who suffer from mild diseases, like colds and others, will have to pay thirty percent of medical expenses and medicine costs.
Until now, if medical fees are below 15,000 won, a patient pays 3,000 won. If medicine costs under 10,000 won, a pharmacy only charges 1,500 won. When the total goes over the limit, a person pays 30 percent of the bill. However, this system has aroused disputes since patients who are charged with low medical fees from 10,000 won to 15,000 won and medicine from 5,000 won to 10,000 won receive discounts on medical costs.
If a person over 65 years old owes under 15,000 won in doctor's fees, the person pays 1,500 won, if medication costs less than 10,000 won, the person pays 1,200 won. If total costs are over the limit, the patient is responsible for 30 percent, which is the current regulation.
The Ministry of Health and Welfare announced an expansion plan on February 15 for securing health insurance this year in a way of easing burdens on severe medical cases and revising the responsibility structure for medical expenses, which currently tends to provide more benefits for less severe patients.
Accordingly, adjusting the system of maximum self-expenses, in the current condition, when a person exceeds three million won in medical expenses during a six month period, health insurance supports the entire excess cost. However, at some time it will be revised to support a limit of two million won.
That means if a patient is responsible for nine million won in medical costs, including authorized health insurance coverage of six million won and unauthorized amounts of three million won, the person has to pay six million won. Now the patient can receive benefits of only five million won. With such measures, over 110,000 people will be benefited by 1.25 billion won.
The Ministry of Health and Welfare decided to lower self-expenses of outpatients under six years old to the level of 50 percent, and children's expenses will be 15 percent at clinics and pharmacies, 20 percent at hospitals and 25 percent at university hospitals.
In addition to the current juvenile benefits, health examinations, including hearing, blood pressure, body development and dental checks, will be conducted targeting infants and children under six years old.
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 / 입력시간: 2007. 02.16. 08:31
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