▲National Health Insurance Service
[Asia Economy Reporter Lee Chun-hee] The cumulative number of cases overdue on National Health Insurance premiums for more than a month reached 4 million as of last year, with the total overdue amount nearing 5 trillion won.
According to the "Annual Health Insurance Arrears Status" data released by the National Health Insurance Service on the 11th, the cumulative number of overdue health insurance premium cases for more than one month last year was 3,954,000, and the cumulative overdue amount was 4.7057 trillion won. However, both the cumulative number of overdue cases and the amount have been gradually decreasing. The number of overdue cases decreased from 4,454,000 in 2018 to 4,326,000 in 2019, and 4,115,000 in 2020. The cumulative overdue amount also continuously declined from 5.0109 trillion won in 2018 to 4.9562 trillion won in 2019, and 4.9361 trillion won in 2020.
By period, the number of long-term overdue cases exceeding one year was 1,108,000. The amount was 3.1151 trillion won, accounting for 66.2% of the total cumulative overdue amount. High-value overdue cases exceeding 5 million won annually were also 179,000 cases, amounting to 2.2924 trillion won (48.7% of the total cumulative overdue amount). Long-term and high-value overdue cases constitute a very large proportion. Overdue cases exceeding six months were also 1,048,000 cases, amounting to 2.4304 trillion won.
By subscription qualification, as of the end of last year, regional subscribers accounted for 3,558,000 cases with 2.822 trillion won, and workplace subscribers accounted for 396,000 cases with 1.8837 trillion won.
The National Health Insurance Service notifies those who have overdue premiums for more than six months by registered mail about restrictions on insurance benefits. If premiums continue to be unpaid, the individual is placed on a list of benefit restriction targets, limiting their receipt of insurance benefits when using hospitals. If unpaid for more than one year, personal information such as the defaulter's name, business name, age, address, type of overdue amount, payment deadline, amount, and reasons for arrears are disclosed, implementing stringent overdue management.
If a person with the ability to pay health insurance premiums deliberately fails to pay for more than six months, they are designated as a "Special Management Household for Health Insurance Arrears." This includes high-asset holders, high-income earners, frequent overseas travelers, those who pay national pension premiums but not health insurance premiums, owners of foreign cars, real estate rental income earners exceeding 40 million won, high-value long-term defaulters, professionals (entertainers, professional athletes, doctors, pharmacists, lawyers, judicial scriveners, tax accountants, accountants, etc.), and pension income earners exceeding 30 million won. Once designated as a special management target, the special collection team proceeds with compulsory collection procedures such as seizure and public auction of real estate, automobiles, bank accounts, and card sales proceeds to forcibly collect overdue insurance premiums.
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