[2024 National Audit] National Health Insurance Service Admits "Wrong" to Criticism of "Violent" Process in Recuperation Expense Recovery

Using Consumable Materials for Ventilators and Diabetes
During Overseas Stays Such as Travel, 'Recovered According to Number of Days'
NHIS President: "This Is a Mistake"

Jung Ki-seok, the chairman of the National Health Insurance Service (NHIS), said, "We will ensure that this does not happen," after being criticized for reclaiming medical care benefits for diseases requiring daily use of medical device aids during overseas travel.

Seo Mi-hwa, a member of the Health and Welfare Committee of the National Assembly from the Democratic Party of Korea, displayed data on the screen during the NHIS audit held at the National Assembly on the 16th, stating, "This is the record of reclaiming rental medical device care benefits for devices such as ventilators, consumable materials for diabetes, and sleep-type positive airway pressure machines, which must be used every day, for the number of days spent overseas." She added, "Since the Yoon Seok-yeol administration took office, the amount reclaimed has increased by 100 times," and asked, "Compared to the fact that not a single penny was collected from unlicensed illegal hospitals and clinics amounting to hundreds of billions of won, isn't it too harsh to collect benefits even for citizens who just went on a short overseas trip?"

Jeong Gi-seok, President of the National Health Insurance Service, is speaking at the National Assembly's Health and Welfare Committee's audit of the National Health Insurance Service and the Health Insurance Review and Assessment Service held on the 16th. Photo by Hyunmin Kim kimhyun81@

Chairman Jung responded with a drawn-out "Yes..." and continued to listen to the inquiry. Representative Seo said, "The process of reclaiming care benefits is even more problematic," and stated, "If there is an objection to the notice of reclaiming unjust profits, people are told to submit proof documents, but citizens feel mocked." She continued, "Is suspending benefits when a disease does not disappear just because one travels abroad a law that serves public health?" She also claimed, "The NHIS staff threatened during the reclaiming process, saying 'When in Rome, do as the Romans do,' which was a form of intimidating and violent explanation."

In response, Chairman Jung said, "This is a mistake." Regarding the procedure for reclaiming unjust profits, he expressed his intention to correct the issue, saying, "In cases where positive airway pressure machines are actually used during overseas travel, we will ensure that this does not happen." The NHIS Policy Director also responded in agreement with the representative's remarks and stated that they would review the care benefit reclaiming procedures.

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