• What To Do When Sick
  You may choose to go to hospitals, hospitals of Oriental medicine, or public health centers, which are public medical institutions.

Hospitals

• There are both general hospitals (jonghap byeongwon), and private practices (ilban byeongwon). General hospitals are able to treat many ailments; they have the latest medical equipment, the most medical personnel, and ample hospital beds. Still, the large number of people seeking medical attention means that you may have to wait a long period of time before being seen by medical personnel. Private practices, on the other hand, have usually two or three doctors specializing in either internal medicine or pediatrics for example, and see only persons needing that kind of medical attention. These can be convenient because they are closer to home and there is less of a wait.

Hospitals of Oriental Medicine

• Hanbang byeongwon are hospitals that treat patients with Oriental medicine. People go to these hospitals particularly when they feel pain, their body feels disjointed, or are feeling physically weak. Herbal medicine and acupuncture are used in treatment. Herbal medications use plant, animal, and mineral ingredients from nature with only simple processing. Acupuncture is a form of treatment that uses long needles. There are nine types of needles, known as the Nine Needles. The needles are applied to the skin and muscles at varying depths to stimulate the blood vessels.

Hospitals of Oriental Medicine

• These are public medical institutions. Cities, counties, and city districts all have public health centers (bogeonso), and rural areas have smaller scale facilities called "treatment centers"(jillyoso). They offer light treatment and are inexpensive, and tuberculosis testing, blood pressure examination , and blood testing is free of charge. There are regular check-ups and preventive shots for infants. Centers sometimes offer classes on nutrition and health issues.

Using Hospital Services

• University hospitals and other general hospitals have superior facilities, but the number of people seeking medical attention means there are crowds at the reception window. Even when you have been through reception, you may have to wait hours to be examined. This is why for light symptoms such as colds, it can be more convenient to go to a private practice that is in your neighborhood. When you think it best to go to a general hospital, treatment or admission is easier if you go through the process of making reservations.
• (1) Ordinary process of examination at a hospital
• Present your medical insurance card at the reception counter and explain your condition.
• Take the treatment card given you by the reception counter and take it to the window of the department you are sent to, then wait.
• Go to the examination room when your name is called and be examined.
• After being examined or treated, go to the cashier window and pay the treatment fee.
• Take the prescription written for you by the doctor and go to a pharmacy outside the hospital to purchase the needed pharmaceuticals.
• (2) In case you are admitted for treatment
• There are cases where you may be required to make a financial deposit or have someone guarantee your ability to pay when you are admitted to the hospital for testing, treatment , or surgery.
• There are some kinds of hospital rooms not covered by medical insurance, for example, rooms that are not shared and have only one bed.
• You should bring your own toiletries, cup, knife, and fork.

Purchasing Pharmaceuticals

• Because Korea has separate legal definitions for the professions of doctor and pharmacist, prescriptions must be issued by doctors, and these are then filled out by pharmacists. This means that before purchasing medicines, you must be seen by a doctor. Pharmaceutical products for the treatment of headaches, digestion problems, and minor pains, and other minor ailments may be purchased without a doctor's prescription.

Dial 119 Emergency

• Call 119 if someone is suddenly stricken ill or seriously injured. An ambulance will arrive and take the person to the hospital, and the cost is free. The Ministry of Health and Welfare has designated emergency medical treatment facilities pre-specified in each area that are relatively advanced in personnel, equipment, and facilities.

• Health Insurance

Health Insurance

• In Korea the whole country is part of a medical insurance plan for which monthly fees are paid. When you receive treatment at a hospital, you pay 30% of the cost of treatment, and the rest is paid by the National Health Insurance Corporation. Foreigners may also enjoy the benefits of health insurance. Korea requires that foreign workers join the country’s medical insurance system, and a certain amount is taken out of their wages every month as insurance payments. The problem, however, are the foreign nationals who are not currently under legal status. These individuals suffer even more damage to their health because they are not treated on time. If you are in a similar situation, do not wait. Seek help from one of the many organizations aiding foreign laborers.

Persons to be Medically Insured

• Spouses or children of citizens of the Republic of Korea living in Korea under F-1 (Visiting and Joining Families) status.
• Foreigners and their spouses and dependents under the age of twenty (F-3) living in Korea for more than one year with any of the following visas: D-1 (Culture/Art), D-2 (Student), D-3 (Industrial Trainee), D-4 (General Trainee), D-5 (Resident Correspondent), D-6 (Religious Worker), D-7 (Intra- Company Transferee), D-8 (Treaty Investor), D-9 (Treaty Trader), E-1 (Professor), E-2 (Foreign Language Teacher), E-3 (Research), E-4 (Special Technology Instructor), E-5 (Specialty Occupant), E-7 (Other Particular Occupant), E-8 (Industrial Trainee Employment).
• Foreign nationals in Korea with F-2 visa status.
• Overseas Korean (F-4) of foreign citizenship residing in Korea.

Qualifications and Application Process

• (1) Time qualifications are satisfied
• At any time after you have registered as an alien.
• Overseas Koreans qualify after registering as living in the country or after alien registration.
• (2) Application Process
  Apply at the branch of the National Health Insurance Corporation in your area of residence. Submit a copy of your Alien Registration Card or your report of domestic residence. If you have income relating to your status of sojourn you should submit documentation confirming this. Students must submit proof of enrollment.

Ending your coverage

• Your coverage ends the day after you depart permanently from the country, your sojourn having been completed.
• When you come to be covered by workplace insurance or become a dependent.
• The day after the last day covered by your last payment, should you fail to pay insurance fees.

Basis for Insurance Fees

• (1) Foreigners with ascertainable income (wages).
  Insurance rates for workplace insurance is applied to standard monthly wages.
• (2) Foreigners with no income or income difficult to ascertain (Culture/Arts visa, students, general trainees, overseas Korean).
  Average insurance rates by household under regional insurance, though students are discounted 30%.
• (3) Foreigners living in Korea permanently. (Visiting and joining family, residence).
  Rates are same as Korean nationals, based on income and property.

Insurance Payments Methods

• Insurance payments are paid for in three month periods and in advance (the first payment therefore requires retroactive payment for the current three month period). Permanent resident foreign nationals are exempted from this method.

National Health Insurance Corporation

• Any questions about the national medical insurance program and information about the locations of offices of the National Health Insurance Corporation may be found at www.nhic.or.kr.