Illegal Health Insurance Claims by Foreigners Surge Nearly 30% in South Korea
Seoul (The Korea Times) – Illegal health insurance claims filed by foreigners and overseas Koreans in South Korea saw a sharp rebound in 2024, reversing a years-long downward trend. According to data released by the National Health Insurance Service (NHIS), the financial damage from such claims rose by 28.5 percent, reaching 2.56 billion won (approximately $1.9 million).
A total of 17,087 individuals were caught committing fraud in 2024, up 16.8 percent from the previous year. The number of confirmed illegal claims also increased by 14.7 percent, rising from 40,020 in 2023 to 45,909 in 2024.
The majority of fraud cases over 95 percent involved individuals who continued to claim medical benefits despite losing their eligibility. This category alone accounted for 17,011 people, 44,943 claims, and 2.5 billion won in losses.
Additional forms of fraud included the use of borrowed or stolen health insurance cards, which involved 41 individuals and resulted in 845 cases worth 47 million won. Another 35 people were found to have filed claims during suspended coverage periods, causing 121 cases of illegal payments amounting to 5 million won.
The spike follows a period of decline in fraudulent claims, which peaked in 2021 during the pandemic but steadily dropped through 2023 before rising again last year.