| View previous topic :: View next topic |
| Author |
Message |
Scorpion
Joined: 15 Apr 2012
|
 Posted: Thu Apr 19, 2012 4:48 pm Post subject: Health insurance demanding 500,000 won from me!!! |
 |
|
I first came to Korea in 2004 and worked at a hogwan. It went bankrupt so I transferred to another hogwan, where the owner didn't always do things by the book, especially with regard to pension and health insurance (big surprise). After that contract I went back to the states for a few years, then returned to work in Korea again. Last week I get a letter from some government body stating that I must pay the health insurance company 500,000 won for health services provided. They say that it must paid my a ceretain date or it goes to collections. WTF? The period for which they are demanding payment is 2004 -2005. What the hell is going on? Can they do this? If proper payments weren't made shouldn't they be going after my former employer? After all, I was on an E-2 visa and health coverage was mandatory under Korean law.
Has anyone been in this absurd situation? Does anyone have any advice?
Thanks in advance,
Scorpio |
|
| Back to top |
|
 |
TheUrbanMyth
Joined: 28 Jan 2003
Location: Retired
|
| Posted: Thu Apr 19, 2012 5:26 pm Post subject: Re: Health insurance demanding 500,000 won from me!!! |
|
|
| Scorpion wrote: |
I first came to Korea in 2004 and worked at a hogwan. It went bankrupt so I transferred to another hogwan, where the owner didn't always do things by the book, especially with regard to pension and health insurance (big surprise). After that contract I went back to the states for a few years, then returned to work in Korea again. Last week I get a letter from some government body stating that I must pay the health insurance company 500,000 won for health services provided. They say that it must paid my a ceretain date or it goes to collections. WTF? The period for which they are demanding payment is 2004 -2005. What the hell is going on? Can they do this? If proper payments weren't made shouldn't they be going after my former employer? After all, I was on an E-2 visa and health coverage was mandatory under Korean law.
Has anyone been in this absurd situation? Does anyone have any advice?
Thanks in advance,
Scorpio |
Yes health coverage is mandatory under Korean law...but YOU are responsible for paying HALF and your employer is responsible for paying half. That 500,000 won is likely your half of payments...they are probably giving your employer a bill for the other 500,000 won.
Yes they can do this. A government agency has full powers to collect debts due to it if the individual resides in their country.
You have two choices.
1) Leave Korea and do not return (as they will flag your name)
2) Pay up and go on with your life.
Yes it sucks and sucks hard that your employer was a dishonest thieving scumbag.
But you can't fight City Hall. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
transmogrifier
Joined: 02 Jan 2012
Location: Seoul, South Korea
|
| Posted: Thu Apr 19, 2012 5:43 pm Post subject: |
|
|
My wife (who is Korean) got a similar bill when we returned, but it was for when she was out of the country, so a quick phone call made it go away.
Check to see that the bill covers only the time you were in the country - you may owe less (may!) but otherwise I think you have to pay it if you were here during that time. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
mike in brasil
Joined: 09 Jun 2003
|
| Posted: Sat Apr 21, 2012 6:07 am Post subject: |
|
|
happened to me too.
I even had an interpreter there by my side asking for me, "If I'd had an accident during the time that I owed the balance and needed treatment, would I have been covered?"
No, was the answer.
Again, with the help of the interpreter, "If I'm paying retroactively, but wouldn't have been covered, why do I owe the outstanding balance?"
No satisfaction, "just pay the balance" was the answer.
If the guy on the other side of the desk hadn't been so amicable, I would have strangled him. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
Son Deureo!
Joined: 30 Apr 2003
|
| Posted: Sat Apr 21, 2012 8:16 am Post subject: |
|
|
I got a similar letter, demanding W5,100 for a dental visit from over 5 years ago. I had a bunch of dental work at the end of a contract before going back to the US, and apparently my insurance ran out just before my last follow-up visit.
It was so little that I just called them up and asked them how I could pay it. When I asked why they were following up on it so long after the fact, they said they had 10 years to collect legally. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
hongdae2
Joined: 17 Sep 2006
|
| Posted: Sat Apr 21, 2012 9:54 pm Post subject: |
|
|
wa
Last edited by hongdae2 on Tue Aug 09, 2016 2:39 pm; edited 1 time in total |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
YTMND
Joined: 16 Jan 2012
Location: You're the man now dog!!
|
| Posted: Sun Apr 22, 2012 12:21 am Post subject: |
|
|
| Quote: |
| 1) Leave Korea and do not return (as they will flag your name) |
Flagging your name means what exactly? What if you never got a letter and return to Korea? |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
desertdust
Joined: 09 Jan 2011
|
| Posted: Sun Apr 22, 2012 2:25 am Post subject: |
|
|
| What would happen if you didn't pay them? |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
TheUrbanMyth
Joined: 28 Jan 2003
Location: Retired
|
| Posted: Sun Apr 22, 2012 5:55 am Post subject: |
|
|
| YTMND wrote: |
| Quote: |
| 1) Leave Korea and do not return (as they will flag your name) |
Flagging your name means what exactly? What if you never got a letter and return to Korea? |
Flagging your name means they will very likely notify Immigration about you skipping out on a bill. Which could lead to problems should you ever wish to return.
What do you mean by "never got a letter"?
Do you mean if they never sent one at all, or that they sent one but you didn't get it? |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
YTMND
Joined: 16 Jan 2012
Location: You're the man now dog!!
|
| Posted: Sun Apr 22, 2012 6:03 am Post subject: |
|
|
| Quote: |
| What do you mean by "never got a letter"? |
Means that you never were aware of owing anyone money.
| Quote: |
| Do you mean if they never sent one at all, or that they sent one but you didn't get it? |
It doesn't matter if they sent it or not. If you never received it, you never received it. How can they prove you received it or knew you had to pay for it.
I am not stating that a person would not owe the money at a later date, but I don't see how they can enforce something unless the person recognizes they owe the money or they are unwilling to pay up (ruby ridge style). |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
TheUrbanMyth
Joined: 28 Jan 2003
Location: Retired
|
| Posted: Sun Apr 22, 2012 6:13 am Post subject: |
|
|
| YTMND wrote: |
| Quote: |
| What do you mean by "never got a letter"? |
Means that you never were aware of owing anyone money.
| Quote: |
| Do you mean if they never sent one at all, or that they sent one but you didn't get it? |
It doesn't matter if they sent it or not. If you never received it, you never received it. How can they prove you received it or knew you had to pay for it.
). |
They don't have to prove anything. If they sent a letter or letters and you didn't get them...that's just your bad luck. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
YTMND
Joined: 16 Jan 2012
Location: You're the man now dog!!
|
| Posted: Sun Apr 22, 2012 6:24 am Post subject: |
|
|
| TheUrbanMyth wrote: |
| YTMND wrote: |
| Quote: |
| What do you mean by "never got a letter"? |
Means that you never were aware of owing anyone money.
| Quote: |
| Do you mean if they never sent one at all, or that they sent one but you didn't get it? |
It doesn't matter if they sent it or not. If you never received it, you never received it. How can they prove you received it or knew you had to pay for it.
). |
They don't have to prove anything. If they sent a letter or letters and you didn't get them...that's just your bad luck. |
So, they can send a letter after the flight home?  |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
TheUrbanMyth
Joined: 28 Jan 2003
Location: Retired
|
| Posted: Sun Apr 22, 2012 6:30 am Post subject: |
|
|
| YTMND wrote: |
| TheUrbanMyth wrote: |
| YTMND wrote: |
| Quote: |
| What do you mean by "never got a letter"? |
Means that you never were aware of owing anyone money.
| Quote: |
| Do you mean if they never sent one at all, or that they sent one but you didn't get it? |
It doesn't matter if they sent it or not. If you never received it, you never received it. How can they prove you received it or knew you had to pay for it.
). |
They don't have to prove anything. If they sent a letter or letters and you didn't get them...that's just your bad luck. |
So, they can send a letter after the flight home? |
Why not? After all they aren't Immigration. They don't know that you left. All they know is that you own them money. They are duning the OP for monies unpaid in 2004-05 (that's seven years ago). |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
YTMND
Joined: 16 Jan 2012
Location: You're the man now dog!!
|
| Posted: Sun Apr 22, 2012 6:42 am Post subject: |
|
|
| Quote: |
| Why not? After all they aren't Immigration. They don't know that you left. All they know is that you own them money. |
How is that going to get them money? Or, even Immigration?
Health Insurance: Dear Immigration, we don't have money owed to us by a teacher, please do something about it.
Immigration: Noted, teacher is bad. They cannot work in Korea again.
(Teacher returns to Korea.)
Teacher: I want to work at a school. Here is the paperwork.
Immigration: Sorry, you can't. You didn't pay for health insurance before.
Teacher: Ok, how much? I'll pay it now.
Immigration: Sorry, too late.
That's a lot of money to be turning away. I would like to see how significant this fear is. Until then, I don't see a major problem unless you committed a serious crime.
| Quote: |
| They are duning the OP for monies unpaid in 2004-05 (that's seven years ago). |
Apparently, it hasn't been a problem for 7-8 years then. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
Scorpion
Joined: 15 Apr 2012
|
| Posted: Sun Apr 22, 2012 7:37 pm Post subject: |
|
|
I'm curious about two things.
1) Is the insurance 'company' a government organization, or just a company that the gov't uses to provide health coverage? Is the government on my tail for the 500,000 won or just a private company?
2) Does anyone have any informed information about how I should proceed with this? How do I redirect their demands to my hogwan that caused this problem by cutting corners? My former employer should be paying this bill, not me.
Any procedural advice is greatly appreciated.
Thanks
Scorpio |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
|
FAQ
Search
Memberlist
Usergroups
Register
Profile
Log in to check your private messages
Log in
