National Health Insurance checklist

1. Work out which category you are in

   Done

   Everything else follows from this.

   • Workplace subscriber (직장가입자). If you are employed, your employer enrols you from your first day. The premium is split roughly half and half with the employer and deducted from your salary. You do nothing.
   • Regional subscriber (지역가입자). Everyone else — students, job seekers, freelancers, the self-employed, dependent spouses without a qualifying sponsor. You pay the full premium yourself and it is assessed differently.
   • Dependant (피부양자). A spouse or family member of a workplace subscriber with no significant income of their own can be added to their coverage at no extra premium. Worth checking before registering separately.

2. Understand when enrolment starts

   Done

   Employed foreign residents are covered from day one of employment. Everyone else becomes a compulsory regional subscriber once they have been resident for six months. The six-month clock does not reset for ordinary trips abroad.

   Some statuses and some nationalities with bilateral agreements are treated differently. Check your own case with NHIS rather than assuming.

3. Register, if you are not enrolled automatically

   Done

   Visit an NHIS branch, or call the foreign-language helpline on 1577-1000.

   • Registration card and passport.
   • Proof of address.
   • Bank account details for the direct debit.
   • Evidence of income, if you want the regional premium assessed on actual income rather than a default.

4. Know what you are paying and why

   Done

   Workplace subscribers pay a percentage of monthly salary, split with the employer, plus long-term care insurance calculated as a percentage of the health premium. Both appear as separate lines on your payslip.

   Regional subscribers are assessed on income and property. Foreign regional subscribers are subject to a minimum premium — which is the part that surprises students and low-income residents, because it does not fall to zero just because your income does.

   Our tax calculator shows the workplace-subscriber figures alongside pension and employment insurance, so you can see the full deduction from a given salary.

5. Learn what it actually covers

   Done

   Korean health insurance is genuinely good, and cheaper at the point of use than most systems foreign residents will have come from. Broadly:

   • Covered: GP and specialist consultations, hospital treatment, surgery, prescriptions, maternity care, and most diagnostics. You pay a co-payment — commonly 20–30% at a clinic, more at a large hospital.
   • Not covered: cosmetic procedures, most dental work beyond the basics, elective health screening beyond the free biennial check, private rooms, and some newer treatments.
   • No referral needed for clinics and most specialists. You can walk into a dermatologist or an orthopaedist directly. Tertiary hospitals do want a referral.

   A typical clinic visit with insurance costs a few thousand won plus the prescription. This is not a misprint.

6. Set up payment and keep it clean

   Done
   • Set up an automatic direct debit (자동이체). Missed paper bills are the main cause of arrears.
   • Employed? Check your payslip shows the deduction. Employers who fail to enrol staff do exist, and it is your coverage at risk.
   • Struggling to pay? Call 1577-1000 and ask about instalments or a reduction. NHIS would rather agree a plan than accrue arrears.
   • Keep your address up to date with NHIS as well as with immigration — they are separate records.

Frequently asked

Can I opt out and use private insurance instead?

No. Enrolment is compulsory for foreign residents meeting the conditions. Nationals of a small number of countries with specific bilateral arrangements, and holders of certain statuses, may be exempt — confirm with NHIS. Private travel insurance is a supplement, not a substitute.

Am I covered from day one, or is there a waiting period?

Workplace subscribers are covered from the first day of employment. Regional subscribers are covered from the date enrolment begins. There is no separate waiting period once you are enrolled — but there is no retroactive coverage for treatment received before enrolment either.

Does it cover me outside Korea?

Not directly. You can claim reimbursement for emergency treatment abroad in limited circumstances, but the process is slow and the coverage partial. Buy travel insurance for trips.

What happens if I leave Korea?

Coverage ends when your residence ends. Settle any outstanding premiums before you go — arrears follow your registration number and will surface if you ever return. See the leaving Korea checklist.