Korean Job Discussion Forums

[MissSeoul]

Can anyone give me information about Korean National Health Care ?
What it's like ?
Is that work like managed care, like HMO in States ?
Do you have to go specialist through primary care ?
Can you choose doctor or they tell you to go certain doctor ?
Do you have deductable and if so how much each year ?
What is the % of co-payment ?

Another extra question,
As you may know, Japan National Health Care system doesn't provide any medical care for esl teachers in Japan, esl teachers in Japan are not allowed to be a part of National Health Care System.
Do you have any idea why ?

[denverdeath]

You'll find most of the answers to your questions by navigating aroung this site:

http://www.nhic.or.kr/wbe/

You can go to whatever doctor/hospital that you choose. Of course, there are also specialists.

If you are an "Employee Insured" you pay 2.24% of your salary, and your employer matches the same amt. If you are "Self-employed Insured," you can find details here:

http://www.nhic.or.kr/wbe/nation/nation033.html

Sorry, don't know about the Japanese situation.

[Novernae]

I don't know how HMOs in the States work, so I can't compare, but I can tell you my experience.
Last year, I had to go to the doctor for stomach issues. I went to any doctor I chose (without an appointment) and paid for 30% of the visit cost (3,000W (of 10,000W) and prescription costs, much cheaper than North America). I also paid the same % for some tests I underwent.
Three weeks ago I broke my toe and went to the hospital. I paid for 50% of this (doctor's consultation, cast, x-ray (6,000W), all told I paid about 60,000W for the initial visit, 21,000W to remove the cast and have another x-ray).

You can generally just go straight to the specialist (from what I've seen).

For all this I pay about 50,000Won a month.