'Health Insurance Premium' Frozen for the First Time for 2 Consecutive Years... Maintained at 7.09% Next Year (Comprehensive)

"Need for Increase to Reform Healthcare, Considering High Inflation and High Interest Rates"

The health insurance premium rate for next year has been frozen for the first time for two consecutive years.

On the 6th, the Ministry of Health and Welfare held the 17th meeting of this year of the Health Insurance Policy Deliberation Committee (Geonjeongsim), the highest decision-making body for health insurance, and decided the health insurance premium rate for next year to be 7.09%.

This is the first time that the health insurance premium rate has been frozen for two consecutive years. The freeze next year marks the fourth time in history, including 2009, 2017, and 2024.

Until now, the premium rate has steadily increased almost every year. The premium rates increased as follows: 4.9% in 2010, 5.9% in 2011, 2.8% in 2012, 1.6% in 2013, 1.7% in 2014, 1.35% in 2015, 0.9% in 2016, and then was frozen in 2017. After that, it increased by 2.04% in 2018, 3.49% in 2019, 3.2% in 2020, 2.89% in 2021, 1.89% in 2022, and 1.49% in 2023.

The Ministry of Health and Welfare explained, "There was a need for a certain level of increase due to expenditure requirements for promoting medical reform, including investment in regional and essential medical care. However, we considered the economic burden capacity of the public due to ongoing high inflation and high interest rates, as well as the most stable financial condition of the health insurance system since its introduction."

As of the end of July this year, the health insurance reserve fund stands at 27 trillion won. The Ministry plans to continue investing in essential medical care through health insurance even if the premium rate remains unchanged.

So far, six major priorities have been set: severe, emergency, high-difficulty essential treatment, nighttime and holiday care, pediatric and maternity care, and medically vulnerable areas. Since January this year, an investment of 1.2 trillion won has been made through the introduction of public policy fees in areas requiring focused compensation. The government plans to invest 10 trillion won by 2028.

Additionally, to innovate the training environment for residents and expand regional and essential medical care, the government will invest an additional 10 trillion won in national finances over five years starting next year, totaling more than 20 trillion won in investment.

Park Min-su, Vice Minister of Health and Welfare and chair of Geonjeongsim, said, "Even though the premium rate is frozen, the planned investment in essential medical care is being carried out without disruption. In these economically difficult times for the public, we will strengthen financial management to ensure that the precious insurance premiums paid by the people are used where they are truly needed, and operate the health insurance system sustainably."