Korea

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90 Country starter pack Visiting Korea 6.6 HEALTH AND WELFARE Most of the following information on health and welfare in Korea has been provided by the Australian Government’s Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) as general advice. Australians should always consult DFAT for up-to-date information on travelling to Korea, particularly on health risks and personal safety. Before travelling, register on DFAT’s website in case of an emergency and consult www.smartraveller.gov.au, which provides regularly updated advice for Australian business travellers and tourists visiting Korea. Health insurance Before departing for Korea, Australians should take out comprehensive travel insurance that will cover any overseas medical costs. You should confirm that your insurance covers you for the whole time you are away and check what circumstances and activities are not included in the policy. Food and water Water-borne, food-borne and other infectious diseases (including tuberculosis, typhoid, and hepatitis) occur sporadically. For this reason it is advisable to avoid raw and undercooked food. In rural areas, it is recommended that all drinking water be boiled or that you drink bottled water, and that you avoid ice cubes. Seek medical advice if you have a fever or are suffering from diarrhoea. Other health risks Consult a travel doctor prior to travelling and ensure that your vaccinations against diseases such as hepatitis and tetanus are up to date. Malaria is a risk in the Korean demilitarised zone and in rural areas in the northern parts of Gyeonggi and Gangwon provinces, near the border with North Korea. The mosquito-borne disease Japanese encephalitis also occurs. You should consult your doctor or travel clinic about prophylaxes against malaria and take measures to avoid mosquito bites, including using insect repellent and wearing appropriate clothing. Malaria prophylaxes are widely available in Korea, including at the medical centre at Incheon Airport. As in many parts of industrialised Asia, Korea faces increasing health problems due to pollution in cities. In spring, the “Yellow Dust” – a combination of industrial pollutants and dust from mainland China – prompts some people to wear masks while outdoors, particularly those people with respiratory problems like asthma. Useful numbers for emergencies include: POLICE 112 AMBULANCE 119 FIRE 119 EMERGENCY MEDICAL INFORMATION CENTRE 1339 COAST GUARD 122 TOURISM AND TRANSLATION SERVICE 1330
Country starter pack Visiting Korea 91 Hospital and medical services Healthcare in Korea is modern and efficient. Both Western and Eastern medical practitioners and medicines are available, and both are covered under the Government’s National Health Insurance (NHI) which foreign residents may be eligible for if properly registered (discussed later on). Doctors, dentists, dermatologists and other specialists in Korea are all affordable and readily available, as are general healthcare products and pharmaceutical drugs. Foreigners can phone the Emergency Medical Information Centre for emergency or routine medical advice, or to help translate if they are at a clinic or doctor’s office where nobody speaks English. They can also connect anyone directly with emergency services if appropriate. Staff members are bilingual and there will almost always be someone on staff who speaks English. City hospitals will almost always have an English-speaking doctor on staff, although support and technical staff are less likely to speak the language. It is sometimes advisable to bring along a Korean-speaking friend, particularly in smaller towns and cities. Hospitals are often well equipped and modern looking, although may not always have the best sanitation practices. Foreigners can also attend one of several “international clinics” affiliated with certain hospitals. These are staffed by doctors who have studied abroad and generally speak English well, but they are more costly. Patients generally need to pay a deposit against the costs that might be incurred during their stay. Some hospitals accept only certain credit cards, so it may be necessary to bring cash. Pharmacies are plentiful and many are usually located near hospitals, as hospitals in Korea are not permitted to dispense prescription medication. Foreigners who have enrolled in the NHI (see below) will be able to get prescription medication at a heavily subsidised rate. Public healthcare Korea’s National Health Insurance (NHI) program is a compulsory system that covers the whole population for most day-to-day and emergency medical procedures, prescription medication and specialist visits. By law, any company that employs more than five foreign workers must enrol their foreign workers in a health insurance program. The company is expected to pay 50 per cent of their employees’ health insurance premiums each month, and employees the other half. To enrol in the NHI, expats simply need to bring their alien card to a nearby hospital and apply. Once enrolled in the NHI program, you can extend your coverage to immediate family members. Note, however, that this does not apply to expatriates employed as independent contractors. The amount someone pays towards the NHI is determined in the same way as taxes – on a sliding scale according to salary level. Expatriates are not covered by either the NHI or private health insurance until they have obtained an Alien Registration Card (ARC) from their local Korea Immigration Service office. This can take some time. Doctors and specialists will claim most of the costs of a consultation from the NHI, while expatriates will have to pay a small premium directly. Prescription medication and traditional medicine (including acupuncture) are also covered, and will therefore also incur small costs. The upside is that expenses for a routine visit to a doctor or dentist will be quite low for both the consultation and the medication. On the other hand, some doctors may try to see as many patients as possible, so consultations are not as thorough as they could be. Doctors may also overprescribe medication in an attempt to get more benefits from pharmaceutical companies. Private health insurance Apart from the NHI, there are a number of private health insurance options; however, most of these are more expensive and not as widely recognised as the national scheme. Australians should note that some procedures and medications, particularly those associated with chronic illnesses such as cancer, are not covered under the NHI and can become costly. Private insurance companies cover the elements not covered by NHI, often referred to as chronic illness plans, and therefore are popular with many Koreans and expats.
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REPUBLIC OF Korea COUNTRY STARTER P
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SURFACE AREA 99,400 square kmS GDP
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Korea

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