The Ministry of Health and Welfare said on the 12th that four bills under the ministry's purview were passed at a National Assembly plenary session, including partial amendments to the National Health Insurance Act, the Emergency Medical Service Act, and the Medical Service Act, as well as a partial amendment to 21 laws under the Health and Welfare Committee to revise disqualification provisions following bankruptcy declarations.
The amendments include reorganizing the method of paying refunds to long-term delinquents on health insurance premiums, strengthening the legal basis for support to areas vulnerable in emergency medical services, allowing access to medical records related to National Human Rights Commission investigations, and revising certain disqualification provisions for bankrupt persons.
First, the amendment to the National Health Insurance Act allows the deduction of delinquent amounts before paying refunds under the out-of-pocket maximum program to subscribers who have long been in arrears on health insurance premiums or related collections.
Under the out-of-pocket maximum program, if the aggregates of out-of-pocket health insurance costs borne by a subscriber over one year exceed a ceiling set according to the individual's income level, the National Health Insurance Service refunds the excess. However, non-covered services, selective coverage, and higher-grade ward charges for double or triple occupancy are excluded.
Until now, there was no legal basis to deduct delinquent amounts when paying refunds to high-amount, long-term delinquents, raising fairness concerns in administering the program. The government said the amendment will enhance fairness with diligent payers and help manage the health insurance finances.
The amendment to the Emergency Medical Service Act specifies in law that all citizens have the right to receive emergency medical care without discrimination based on their place of residence.
Accordingly, the legal basis for policies supporting areas vulnerable in emergency medical services is expected to be strengthened. The government is currently implementing support for operating costs, dispatching medical personnel, emergency teleconsultations, and support for reading emergency imaging through a program to foster emergency medical institutions in vulnerable regions.
The amendment to the Medical Service Act adds requests related to National Human Rights Commission investigations to the exceptions allowing access to patient medical records. If the National Human Rights Commission, during an investigation, asks a medical institution that treated a victim to allow record viewing or to provide copies, this will be permitted. The Ministry of Health and Welfare expects this to improve the speed and efficiency of NHRC investigations.
In addition, the bill to revise disqualification provisions following bankruptcy declarations removes certain disqualification rules based on bankruptcy from 21 laws under the ministry's purview.
Specifically, it excludes "a person who has not been reinstated after a bankruptcy declaration" from disqualification grounds for a Commissioner of a metropolitan or provincial Social Security Committee under the Act on the Use and Provision of Social Security Benefits and the Discovery of Eligible Recipients, a guardian for persons with mental illness under the Act on the Improvement of Mental Health and the Support for Welfare Services for Mental Patients, and a Korean traditional medicine dispenser under the Pharmaceutical Affairs Act.
The government expects that this overhaul will ease blanket legal restrictions on those declared bankrupt and expand opportunities for social reintegration.
The amended bills passed by the National Assembly that day will be implemented after approval by the Cabinet Council, in line with the implementation dates set in each bill.