Korean Nationals Decrease by 32,000, While Chinese Nationals Increase by 27,000
Vietnamese Nationals See Highest Growth, Quadrupling in Number
Improper Claims Also on the Rise... "Caution Needed for Reciprocity"
It has been revealed that the number of foreigners acquiring National Health Insurance eligibility has increased significantly over the past four years. In particular, there has been a sharp rise in acquisitions by Chinese nationals, who account for a large portion of foreign entrants to Korea.
In contrast, during the same period, the number of Korean nationals acquiring eligibility decreased due to the impact of the low birth rate.
According to Yonhap News on May 18, citing data received from the National Health Insurance Service by Kim Mi-ae, a member of the National Assembly's Health and Welfare Committee from the People Power Party, the number of Chinese nationals who acquired National Health Insurance eligibility increased from 30,129 in 2020 to 56,425 last year, a rise of nearly 27,000.
The number of Vietnamese nationals increased from 13,714 to 59,662, nearly a fourfold jump. While the absolute increase was slightly less than that of Chinese nationals, the rate of increase surpassed that of the Chinese. Furthermore, in terms of absolute numbers for last year alone, Vietnamese nationals outnumbered Chinese nationals. The number of Uzbek nationals acquiring eligibility doubled over four years to 12,150.
During the same period, the number of Korean nationals acquiring National Health Insurance eligibility decreased by more than 32,000, from 294,876 to 262,034 last year. Although the number of Korean nationals acquiring eligibility had been declining every year since 2020, it rebounded last year. However, considering the pace of low birth rates and population aging, it is expected that this upward trend will be difficult to maintain.
Kim Mi-ae stated, "In Korea, the number of Korean nationals acquiring National Health Insurance eligibility is decreasing due to low birth rates, while the number of foreign subscribers, including Chinese nationals, is increasing significantly. Therefore, we need to establish comprehensive policies tailored to these circumstances." She added, "The new government should actively consider various alternatives, such as applying the principle of reciprocity to health insurance."
However, some argue that as the number of foreign subscribers increases, cases of improper claims for health insurance benefits are also rising, and that a cautious approach to reciprocity for these subscribers is necessary.
Last year, the number of foreigners and overseas Koreans caught for improper claims was 17,087, an increase of 16.8% compared to 14,630 in 2023. During the same period, the amount of improper claims rose by 28.5% to 2.558 billion won.
A representative from the Free Medical Care Movement Headquarters told Yonhap News, "Issues such as improper claims occur not only among our citizens but also among subscribers from any country. Even now, in some regions, the domestic economy would struggle due to labor shortages if not for foreign workers. Therefore, we must approach the issue of foreign subscribers with caution, taking into account the clear contributions they make to the Korean economy."
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