Grounds for Reduction of National Health Insurance Premiums and Rate of Reduction
Premium Reduction for Islands and Remote Locations
- An employer-sponsored insurance subscriber employed at a place of business on an island or in a remote location specified in the Attached Table 1 of the Notice on Insurance Premium Reduction is eligible for a 50% reduction of the premium based on monthly remuneration (Subparagraph 1 of Paragraph 1 of Article 75 of the National Health Insurance Act, Subparagraph 1 of Article 45 of the Enforcement Decree of the National Health Insurance Act, Subparagraph 1 of Article 46 of the Enforcement Regulations of the National Health Insurance Act, and Paragraph 2 of Article 3 of the Notice on Insurance Premium Reduction).
Premium Reduction for Leave Takers
- During a leave of over one month by an employer-sponsored insurance subscriber, the monthly remuneration-based premium is reduced by 50% of the difference between the monthly remuneration-based premium calculated based on the pre-settlement monthly remuneration for the month preceding the month in which the cause of leave occurs and the premium calculated based on remuneration received from the employer during the leave (Subparagraph 5 of Paragraph 1 of Article 75 of the National Health Insurance Act, Subparagraph 5 of Article 46 of the Enforcement Regulations of the National Health Insurance Act, and the main sentence of Article 8 of the Notice on Premium Reduction).
- During maternity leave, the monthly remuneration-based premium is reduced by the difference between the monthly remuneration-based premium calculated based on the presettlement monthly remuneration for the month preceding the one in which the maternity leave begins and the lower limit of monthly remuneration-based premium for employer-sponsored insurance subscribers under Paragraph 6 of Article 69 of the National Health Insurance Act, regardless of the remuneration received from the employer during the maternity leave (the proviso of Article 8 of the Notice on Premium Reduction).
Premium Reduction for Regions with Restricted Access to Medical Institutions (Military Personnel)
- The insurance premium of a service member who is an employer-sponsored insurance subscriber residing or working in a region where a military outfit is located is reduced by 20% (Subparagraph 1 of Paragraph 1 of Article 75 of the National Health Insurance Act, Subparagraph 3 of Article 45 of the Enforcement Decree of the National Health Insurance Act, Subparagraph 3 of Article 46 of the Enforcement Regulations of the National Health Insurance Act, and Article 5 of the Notice on Premium Reduction).
Premium Reduction for Accidents Such as Fires
- In the following situations, an employer-sponsored insurance subscriber who pays a monthly remuneration-based premium is eligible for a reduction of the monthly remuneration-based premium (Paragraph 1 of Article 10 of the Notice on Premium Reduction).
· Major interference by fire, bankruptcy, or flood with the operation of the place of business where the employer-sponsored insurance subscriber's business income used to calculate his or her monthly income-based premium is generated
· Business income incorporated in the calculation of the employer-sponsored insurance subscriber's monthly income-based premium exceeds 30% of the income incorporated in the calculation of monthly income-based premium
Premium Reduction for Automatic Payment
- A premium payer who receives payment notices by email or makes the premium payment by automatic account transfer may be provided with a premium reduction or money/goods commensurate with the saving of administrative expenses which occurs (Paragraph 2 of Article 75 of the National Health Insurance Act and Article 45-2 of the Enforcement Decree of the National Health Insurance Act).
Exemption from National Health Insurance Premium Payment
Grounds for Exemption from Premium Payment
- An employer-sponsored insurance subscriber who falls under any of the following categories may be exempted from national health insurance premium payment (Article 74(1) of the National Health Insurance Act and Article 44-2 of the Enforcement Decree of the National Health Insurance Act):
· A person staying overseas for 3 months or more, and without dependents (spouse, lineal relative, etc.) residing in Korea
· A person who is in active duty (including corporals who were appointed without applying), who has been transferred in service, or who is a candidate for a military officer's role, in accordance with the Military Service Act
· A person incarcerated in a prison or equivalent facility
Period of Exemption from Premium Payment
- Exemption from premium payment is applied starting from the month after the month in which the day the grounds for exemption becomes valid falls, and continuing to the month in which the day said grounds become invalid falls. In any of the following cases, however, exemption from premium payment for that month is not granted (Paragraph 3 of Article 74 of the National Health Insurance Act).
1. Where the grounds for suspension of insurance benefits become invalid on the first of a month
2. Where an insurance subscriber staying overseas or his/her dependent enters Korea, receives insurance benefits in the month of the entry date, and leaves Korea in that month
※ This applies from the first time an employer-sponsored insurance subscriber or his/her dependent enters Korea in July 2020 (Article 2 of the Addenda to the National Health Insurance Act).