Financial Consumer Groups Urge National Assembly to Submit Bill Simplifying Claims for Real Loss Insurance

[Asia Economy Reporter Oh Hyung-gil] Financial consumer organizations have urged the National Assembly's Political Affairs Committee to promptly submit and pass the bill simplifying claims for indemnity health insurance.

On the 15th, consumer organizations including Consumer Together, Financial Consumer Federation, Green Consumer Network, Seoul YMCA, Citizens' Coalition for Consumer Rights, and Korea Consumer Education Support Center issued a joint statement calling on the Political Affairs Committee of the National Assembly, which has been only watching interest groups and has not even properly discussed the submission and review of the bill, to promptly submit and pass the bill.

The consumer organizations commissioned Korea Research to conduct a perception survey on indemnity health insurance claims targeting 1,000 general citizens aged 20 or older who have been enrolled in indemnity health insurance within the last two years from April 23 to 26. The results showed that 47.2% of respondents had given up on claiming indemnity health insurance benefits within the last two years despite being eligible, and 95.2% of the amounts they gave up claiming were small claims under 300,000 KRW.

The biggest reason for giving up on claims was that claimants had to submit paper-based supporting documents, which was time-consuming and bothersome. Additionally, 78.6% of respondents expressed the need for an electronic claim system for indemnity insurance claims.

They stated, "Contrary to the medical community's unreasonable opposition, the simplification of indemnity insurance claims means providing supporting documents to patients in electronic form upon their request, not having medical institutions claim insurance benefits on behalf of patients to insurance companies." They pointed out, "If claims are simplified, insurance subscribers will find it easier to claim, enabling them to receive all rightful indemnity medical expenses covered by indemnity health insurance."

They added, "There are objections based on concerns about personal information leakage, but personal information is already provided with consumers' consent. The argument that personal information is protected when submitting paper claim documents but at risk of leakage when submitted electronically is an anachronistic and unreasonable claim."

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