National Health Insurance Premiums to Rise: Max Set at 6.12 Million Won, Minimum at 22,000 Won

The government has decided that high-income earners will pay higher health insurance premiums, while the minimum premium threshold will be raised for the first time in 26 years to alleviate the backlog of medical expenses. The government will pursue an overhaul of the premium collection system that simultaneously raises both the upper and lower limits of health insurance premiums. The Ministry of Health and Welfare recently reported a revision plan to a subcommittee of the Health Insurance Policy Deliberation Committee, which proposed raising the maximum limit so that employed individuals could pay up to 40 times the average premium, and also increasing the mandatory minimum premium (lower limit) for those with lower incomes.

The maximum monthly premium ceiling for both workplace-based and locally insured individuals will be raised from 4.59 million won to 6.12 million won. This ceiling adjustment is expected to secure an additional 175.1 billion won in annual health insurance finances.

The minimum premium threshold, which has been frozen for 26 years since its establishment in 2000, will now be adjusted annually in line with the minimum wage. The minimum out-of-pocket monthly premium for workplace-based and locally insured individuals will increase from 10,080 won and 20,160 won, respectively, to 22,260 won. This floor adjustment will affect 193,000 workplace-based members and 4.86 million regionally insured households, generating an additional 141.7 billion won in annual revenue.

To prevent a sudden spike in financial burdens for low-income individuals, the increase will be phased in. From 2027 to 2028, only 50% of the raised minimum will be reflected, with the full amount going into effect starting January 2029.