[2020 National Audit] Opposition Lawmaker: "If I Become President, I Will Implement Universal Healthcare, but Moon Care Is Wrong"

Welfare Committee Secretary Kang Ki-yoon of People Power Party Mentions at National Health Insurance Corporation Audit
Emphasizes Need for Health Insurance Financial Management, Criticizes Mooncare
Kim Yong-ik, NHIC Chairman, "COVID-19, Experience of Free Medical Care"

Kang Ki-yoon, a member of the People Power Party and the opposition party's secretary of the National Assembly's Health and Welfare Committee

[Asia Economy Reporter Choi Dae-yeol] Kang Ki-yoon, a member of the People Power Party and the opposition whip of the National Assembly's Health and Welfare Committee, said on the 20th during the National Health Insurance Service audit, "(If I) become president, I definitely want to try implementing universal healthcare." This joking remark came up while pointing out the flaws in the current administration's health insurance coverage enhancement policy, known as Moon Jae-in Care, but everyone agreed on the need to manage the National Health Insurance finances sustainably.

During the audit, Kang pointed out to Kim Yong-ik, the chairman of the National Health Insurance Service, that the health insurance reserves have been steadily decreasing and criticized the 'Moon Care' policy as flawed. Kim is considered the architect of Moon Care. Kang said, "The government is providing less than about 4 trillion won in national subsidies for health insurance, the burden on the people is increasing, and the coverage rate must be raised," adding, "In fact, I also dream of a utopia through universal healthcare."

Kang then asked rhetorically, "Is this (universal healthcare) possible?" and emphasized, "No policy should end as mere populism." He explained that unlike other social insurances, health insurance operates on a reserve fund basis, which made populist policies like coverage enhancement possible, and revealed that he is preparing a bill to institutionalize the health insurance finances as a fund.

Kim Yong-ik, President of the National Health Insurance Service, is responding to lawmakers' questions at the National Health Insurance Service and Health Insurance Review and Assessment Service audit held by the Health and Welfare Committee of the National Assembly in Yeouido, Seoul, on the 20th.

When Kang’s universal healthcare remark was made, the audit hall briefly filled with laughter, but Chairman Kim responded seriously. Kim is a figure who has advocated for medical policies that set a certain cap on out-of-pocket medical expenses through his past civic activism, university professorship, and tenure as a lawmaker. This agenda has sometimes been referred to as universal healthcare after entering mainstream politics.

Kim noted the experience during the COVID-19 pandemic, where patients received free treatment and diagnostic tests for suspected cases were covered by health insurance benefits, eliminating medical expenses, saying, "We experienced universal healthcare during the COVID-19 crisis." He added, "While it is not possible to apply this to all diseases, the public was able to receive care with peace of mind," and explained, "The choice is whether to cover (medical expenses) through insurance premiums or out-of-pocket payments, but most advanced countries are moving toward reducing out-of-pocket costs."

Kim further emphasized, "Due to aging and the expansion of non-covered services and new medical (services and technologies), total medical expenses inevitably increase," and said, "Reducing total medical expenses is a crucial task for the sustainability of health insurance, and we are making desperate efforts to reduce total medical expenses."

After Kim’s response, Kim Min-seok, chairman of the Health and Welfare Committee, referenced Kang’s presidential remark, saying, "I thought only the floor leader was in our standing committee, but a potential presidential candidate has emerged."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.